Vy Martinez
by Sorry I Just Did
Summary: He came back. She left. They came looking. Now they've found her and everything that Violet Martinez stands for is torn down. Can Max keep up the act as her alter ego any longer now that the Flock has moved in next door? Old feelings rise up and new ones appear. Will she ever tell the Flock the truth or will they move on from Arizona, leaving Max behind? Fax.
1. Chapter 1 Heartache

**Hey so this is the first chapter revised! Hope you enjoy it!**

**Disclaimer: I don't feel like making anyone say it, Sorry I Just Did doesn't own anything!**

**Also, I would really appreciate it if you guys went to my profile and read the notice I put up for the death of a fellow classmate of mine, it's been really hard on everyone in my school. Thank you.**

Two years and thirty-five days.

Well and give or take a few hours but who's counting? Not me.

But it had been little over two years and a month since I had seen my Flock. It changes someone to be away from loved ones for so long. And here I go sounding a homesick spineless fool.

Oh wait . . . I kind of am. Bleh, stupid self, why must you be so damn proud!

And now you're wondering what the feathers I'm talking about, well probably since the beginning of this little story.

So let's back up and explain what I'm saying and not leave you thinking I'm losing my sanity.

It all started two years ago, when the Flock and I found Fang after he left. You all think I would be ecstatic and run into his arms right and that he would realize he was an idiot for leaving and beg (Or as close to begging you can get with Fang) for us to forgive him?

Well the latter is right but the former is wrong.

Yeah, Fang realized he was an idiot for leaving and tried to rejoin the Flock. The Flock reluctantly agreed to let him back in, but I, on the other hand, was too hurt by what he had done to even think about letting him back in, closer to me. I shunned him, those first few days we spent together after he came back, I refused to talk to him, look at him or be in the same room as him. Well, within twenty feet of him, we were still in the wilderness after all.

I was perfectly fine with the Flock, I would talk to them like Fang had never come back, and at first Fang was hurt and he tried to talk to me but I wouldn't have any of it. Finally he gave up and started treating me like I treated him, non-existent.

I'll swallow my pride for a moment and say that it stung at first, but I got over it.

This had gone on for about a month, the tension started growing, forming into an ugly monster that would destroy our somewhat peaceful yet dysfunctional arrangement.

Then exactly 23 days after he came back (So I counted the days, what are _you _going to do about it?) it all fell apart.

I won't get into the details only because it's fuzzy around the edges and I don't want to give you misinformation. But it was a terrible fight and lots of things were said that shouldn't have been said.

That night, I couldn't take it anymore and I fled, I gathered my little belongings and took off into the night.

I felt bad while I was flying away, because this was exactly what Fang had done (Minus the note) and now the Flock would have to feel the loss over again, but I was too hurt and angry to think clearly.

After three days, I landed in Colorado. I made my way back to the remains of the E house and wandered around the charred remains.

I remember I had gotten so angry at the School, the whitecoats because it was their fault I was going through all this shit. I remember falling down onto my knees by a piece of Iggy's old bed and sobbing, finally letting all my frustrations.

I fell asleep on the remains of the couch that night, my sobs echoing in the mountain valley. I rose early that next morning and watched the sun rise; I washed my face in the nearby river and set off, heading for the remains of iTex.

I was fueled by anger and revenge, and with those two emotions swirling inside of me, I destroyed iTex, with the help of a few good mutants along the way.

After that, I set off for Arizona to find Dr. M. I found her easily, first heading to the cliff by the hawks (Nudge told me about them) and found my way from there.

Fortunately, they hadn't moved and they took me in. I explained what had happened and after adjusting to the fact they now had a winged bird kid living under their roof, I started to slowly adjust.

At first, I had frequent nightmares, about my time saving the world, about my fight with Fang, about leaving the Flock, realizing what I had done and becoming filled with a feeling of regret. My first few months there were haunted with memories, but they, as well, slowly faded into the background, just like everything in life, as I learned.

I started school the next year, taking an extra year to catch up on all that I missed on the run. There I met Sunnah Parekh and Tara Remmington. They're my closest friends at Downtry High School, along with Ella who is two grades beneath us.

But before I forget, along the way to Arizona and before I saved the world, I gained two more abilities. The ability to change my appearance completely to anything I wanted and heat vision. It took sometime for Dr. M and Ella to get used to, because as I entered high school, I took on a new identity, just to be safe.

I became Violet Martinez, Vy for short, the adopted daughter of Dr. M whose parents were abusive and thrown in jail. She wasn't the tallest in her class but she was pale skinned, had sleek raven black hair and stunning violet eyes.

Yes, violet, why do else do you think I'm named Violet?

I slowly adjusted to life in Arizona and now we get to the part about my two best friends.

Sunnah Parekh is an Indian girl with black hair that reaches under her shoulder blades, her eyes are a deep brown, almost black but becoming browner each day as she says. She has light brown skin and is average height. She's . . . something, she speaks her mind and is a great listener, and she's funny and really weird. She likes all kinds of music and books (She's really smart) and is hard to dislike but hard to like at the same time.

You get what I'm saying?

Now Tara is of Irish descent and had red hair (Shocking I know) and green eyes with a few freckles splattered across her face as I like to say to her dismay. She's the gossipy type but is totally nice and not a bitch. She is very understanding and fun to hang around. But the only downside about her was that she had a thing for make-up and clothes, but other than that she was awesome.

Another thing about those two is that they know about the wings, the School, iTex, Fang, the Flock, everything. We grew so close that I knew I could trust them with the secret, plus it was a pain to keep lying to them about my past and well, everything.

They were pretty shocked at first; they were in denial for a bit, I mean who wouldn't be? Your best friend suddenly tells you they have wings and superhuman abilities? You'd be in denial for a bit, too. But they got over it eventually, and what was great they didn't treat me any differently afterwards. It took a while to get used to, but they did and that's why I love them.

Well now you're pretty much caught up, let's go back to the present where I'm lying in my bed, fingering the necklace Fang gave me a long time ago waiting for my mom to say . . .

"Max! Get out of bed; you're going to be late for school!" Ah, there it is. I smiled slightly and shrugged off the covers. I yawned and stretched and made my way t my dresser where I picked a black top with vineyard designs on it and white shorts.

I got ready and transformed (A feeling which I really can't describe) and pulled my hair into a high ponytail. I checked myself in the mirror once more before heading downstairs.

"Morning Mom, Ella," I said, grabbing a banana from the bowl and then I saw the two others sitting by the table, "Tara, Sunnah, don't you have food at your place?" I asked, sitting down next to Tara.

"Yeah, but you're mom's breakfast is amazing!" Sunnah, said holding up a piece of waffle on her fork. I shook my head.

"Why aren't you eating?" Tara asked, shoving a piece of waffle in her mouth.

I shrugged, "Not hungry." I said, taking a bite of my banana.

"Max, you should eat." Mom said, placing a sandwich in front of me.

I pushed it back, "No thanks Mom, I'm not really hungry today. I'll eat a big lunch okay?" I said, getting up and kissing her on the cheek.

"Come on guys, we got to bounce, we're going to be late! Ms. Higgrey is going to have my hide if I'm late again." I said, heading to the door. Tara, Sunnah and Ella (who had been busy eating) nodded and quickly finished off their food and got up.

"Bye mom!" Ella called as we left.

"Bye kids, don't get lost!" She called back. We chuckled and left.

"So Vy, did you hear, Josh Summers asked out Felicity Fitzgerald last week." Tara gushed as we walked to school, which was a mile away from our house, convenient isn't it?

"Tara, how many times do I have to tell you? I really don't care?" I said, exasperated.

Tara pouted but smiled when Ella said, "I care, now explain in detail exactly what happened." She ordered and Tara happily complied.

Sunnah sighed, "Those two are off in la-la land again."

"I know, I say we ditch them and make a run for it. They're so absorbed in their conversation, they'll never notice." I said, looking around cautiously to see if anyone was looking as a joke. Sunnah chuckled and we headed towards school.

. . .

Fang's POV

Two years.

Two years.

Two _frigging _years.

And a month, give or take a few hours, but I'm not counting.

Max has been gone for that long and we _still _haven't been able to find her. Plus, with her gone I was expected to be the substitute leader of the Flock. I honestly don't know how Max does it. The Flock is insane.

Iggy and Nudge constantly get into trivial arguments that are sisterly/brotherly but trememdously annoying, Gazzy and Iggy always try to blow something up, and Angel likes to experiments with her powers too often for my liking, or anyone else's.

But I've somehow managed to keep them together. There must be a God up there somewhere looking out for me otherwise I might've jumped off a cliff with my wings tucked in because of their insanity and the fact that I missed Max like hell.

We've searched in 33 states, and we haven't found her. The only reason that we haven't searched in Arizona yet it because my helpful voice (I think it runs in the family, and by family I mean Flock) told me to try other sates first, Arizona might be too obvious.

Some help that advice that turned out to be.

'Well thank you for the appreciation, Nicholas' My ever so helpful voice chimed in. I mentally groaned.

_I told you not to call me Nicholas. And you're not appreciated. By anyone. At all. Not after all the helpful advice you've given us. _I snapped.

'Me? Give bad advice? When have I ever given bad advice?' My voice exclaimed shocked.

_When you said it was okay to sleep at that cabin for the night but then people came in two hours later, when you said that the sushi was okay to eat and all of us ended up hunched over the toilet for three days straight, or that time when you said there were no bears near the clearing when there clearly was, _I said, pointing out the various times my voice's advice had led us awry.

My voice was silent.

Ha, thought so.

Now we were presently flying over Arizona trying to find a hotel to stay at for the night because we had been flying for over eight hours and the sun had already risen.

And if I am to be correct Nudge should speak in five . . . four . . . three . . . two . . .

"Fang can we land now? I'm tired and my wings hurt a lot. Plus, its daylight already and people might see us, though they might take us for birds but the chance is still there. Plus, I'm really hungry and I have to use the bathroom. Do you think we could find one of those hotels where you get the complimentary breakfast and they have those nice little bar soaps? Plus the beds are really comfy. I could just sink into one of them and not really car-"Iggy flew over to Nudge and clamped his hand on her mouth.

"Nudge, we are all tired, hungry and in need of a bathroom. So please, be quiet." Iggy said desperately.

Even after flying through the whole night, Nudge manages to continue The Nudge Channel 24/6. Sundays she chooses to sleep the whole day. We all silently celebrate while she snores away like an elephant.

Nudge shot Iggy a glare which he somehow sensed and shot her a tired cheeky smile. I shook my head. I looked over my wings and saw Angel glaring at me slightly (She still quiet hadn't forgiven me yet for leaving) and Gazzy struggling to stay away (He also quiet hadn't forgiven me yet but he accepted me more quickly than Angel).

I sighed, "Okay guys, let's hand and find someplace nice to sleep." I said and they all nodded. We swooped down and searched for a hotel and stopped by a local Marriot. We checked into a double bed room with a pull out couch for one week (Max was kind enough to leave us the Max Ride card so we were living in luxury . . . not really).

The receptionist looked about the same age as Iggy and I and had beach blonde hair. She explained to us that breakfast was complimentary and that it was served from 6-10 on weekdays and 7-11 on weekends.

She gave us our room keys and as we were leaving she called out, "Call me!" I sighed and looked on the little envelope that had our keys, sure enough there was a phone number written in girly handwriting.

I frowned and ripped the number off and threw it in the trash.

"Geez man, harsh much?" Iggy said, putting his hand on my shoulder, which I shoved off.

I shrugged and we walked on to our rooms. Once everyone was settled in, I decided to look around.

I walked to Iggy and Gazzy's room and knocked on the door. I heard frantic shuffling of feet and sighed, what were they hiding now?

Iggy opened the door a few minutes later, breathless, "Hey man, what's up? We were just about to sleep." He lied. Yeah right.

"Uh huh, I'm going to look around for a while. You're in charge, don't make me regret it." I said.

Iggy flashed me a sleepy grin and turned to head back into his room but before he closed the door I called, "Oh and go to sleep and stop messing around. I'm searching your room tomorrow." Iggy froze and sent me a hesitant thumbs up. I smirked and headed for Nudge and Angels' room.

I said the same thing to them, who just nodded and went back to sleep.

I walked out the back door of the hall and walked down the road. I walked along the sidewalk, hands shoved in my pockets, my head in the clouds.

I wonder what Max is up to right now, if she's alright. I missed her like hell. Wait, I said that already . . .

I was about to walk passed some woods when I froze in my tracks. The woods looked extremely familiar. My eyebrows knit together as I cautiously turned and walked into the woods. As soon as I was in deep enough I opened my wings and leaped into the air.

Of course, I wouldn't remember the woods for a worm's view, a bird's eye view would be sure to ring a bell in my memory. There was a red flag going up in my head, something had happened here.

I burst out of the treetops and flew higher. I stopped at about 43 feet above the tree tops and looked down.

Suddenly the memory hit me like a bucket of cold water. This was the same wood where Max went down to save that girl, and where she also got shot at.

My blood began to boil; if I saw those blockheads again they would pay for sh-

'Nicholas, stay on track here. We don't need you running into a tree or anything. That would hurt' My voice chimed in.

I rolled my eyes, _Thank you for telling me the obvious._

'No problem Nicholas' My voice replied, I could hear the amusement in it's snide voice.

_Call me Nicholas one more time and I'll call you Muriel. _I threatened.

'Very scary Nicholas' It replied.

_Fine, from now on your name in Muriel _I shot at it, it remained quiet. Ha, take that you little . . .she/he demon!

I continued flying over the local area and decided to land as I neared a school. You never know who could see me.

I landed in the nearby woods and tucked in my wings. I straightened my shirt and walked out. I saw teenagers spilling into the parking, joking around and laughing. A lot of people (Specifically girls) stopped to stare as I walked by. What? It was 90 degrees and I was in all black, with dirt and grass stains all over me, that was bound to get some stares. At least that is why I hope they were staring.

I strolled out of the parking lot and ducked into some nearby bushes and carefully walked through the bushes. I stopped moving when I heard some girls walking close to the bushes. I carefully peaked out and I swear my jaw met the fl- What? No it didn't, pfft. I'm Fang, I don't drop my jaw.

But there were four girls walking by and something caught my attention.

That something was Ella.

Yes Ella, as in Max's little sister. She was walking with three other girls who looked older than her.

The first was an Indian (?) girl with long-ish black hair and brown eyes. She wore a loose grey long sleeve shirt that said 'Paramore' on it, dark blue skinny jeans and black high top converses. The second was a redhead who wore a yellow and blue plaid button up and dark blue skinny jeans as well with black flats.

The third was the one who shocked me. She had medium length black hair and the prettiest (Did I just say 'prettiest'? That's not manly) violet eyes. Yeah, violet, I'm just as shocked as you are.

She had on a black shirt with vine patterns on it and short white shorts with black and white high top DC shoes. She was really and I mean really beautiful.

But not as much as Max. Nope, no one has Max beat at least in my book. Though Iggy could probably offer a good agreement on that in which would end up with me locking him in his room which wouldn't go so well since he would just pick the lock to annoy me.

But Max is still beautiful.

But back to the three girls and Ella, I turned invisible and followed them silently through the bushes (I had mastered my invisibility) and watched them until they entered the high school.

Let's just say after my little discovery, I was pretty fast to rush back to the hotel and call a emergency meeting, though the rest of the Flock wasn't so joyous about it.

"Dude, I'm tired. There's nothing else to it. Let me sleep for god's sake!" Iggy complained as he slouched on the bed, continuing his whining which he had been doing for the past five minutes.

"Iggy. Shut. Up." I growled. He sent me a sightless glare my direction but I just turned towards the Flock, "Okay guys, I know you guys are all tired but I found something extremely useful in our search." I said, looking at each of them.

"What?" Gazzy asked sleepily.

I took a deep breath, "I found Ella," I said and held my hand up before they could bombard me with questions, "Let me continue. I found Ella; she was with three other girls who were older than her. They were walking together and I think they're friends and one of them has some kind of familiarity to them." I explained.

"Fang the last time you felt something like that about a girl, she ended being a juvenile delinquent with bad hair." Nudge said pointedly.

"Thank you for reminding me of that Nudge." Fang said sarcastically.

"You're welcome!" Nudge offered perkily.

"Anyway, I think we should stay here for a while, you know talk to Ella and see if she knows anything?" I explained.

"And how exactly are we going to do that?" Iggy piped in, who had been silent so far.

Angel, who had read my mind as usual, nodded in agreement to my plan, "Fang that's a good idea. It'll be nice to make some new friends again." She said.

Everyone just looked confused.

"Guys, we're going back to school."

**So aha! There is the first re-written chapter! I wasn't a fan of the ending, but I needed to wrap it up and give you guys what you've been waiting for, so now I have to go work on the other chapters and the new one and other things I have to do so yeah!**

**Me: Man you guys are hard to kidnap.**

**Max: What do you expect? We're like freaking super humans!**

**Me: You don't need to rub it in . . . No bacon for you!**

**All but me: You have bacon!**

**Me: Yeah and only Fang and Iggy get some!**

**Iggy: Ha take that bitch!**

**Max: Excuse me!**

**Iggy: -pale- Uh nothing!**

**Max: That's what I thought.**

**Fang: Dude, you better run.**

**Iggy: -nervous- Uh, h-hehe, I-I'm going to g-go hide n-now. RnR?**

**SAVE IGGY! RNR!**


	2. Chapter 2: The Return of Pablo

**Second re-written chapter! Finally, I would have updated this chapter sooner but when my mom took my laptop away I deleted every single thing on my laptop so it looked like I hadn't even touched it. **

**Disclaimer: A year ago from today, I did not own anything. And surprise, surprise I still don't.**

* * *

><p>[Fang's POV]<p>

Eight hours naps are very nice, very nice indeed. But you know what's not nice? Waking up from an eight hour power nap and having to go shopping for school supplies and clothes.

Before I had passed out on the hotel couch, I had spent a great deal time hacking into the school system and registering the Flock into school.

Now it was coming back to bite me in the ass, shopping with the Flock was torture, I speak from experience. The last time we went shopping together we ended up getting banned from every mall in the state of Ohio, that's how bad it was.

Now we were headed to the local Wal-Mart and I was praying that this time we would be allowed to come back.

"Fang, could we get some new shoes? We need new shoes! I mean honestly, our shoes are tattered and gross. They look they took a bath in a garbage disposal, no offense to the shoes or anything. But honestly, if we're supposed to seem like regular kids, we can't go around looking like we just came in from the streets. People would definitely think something is up. ZOMG, I just realized, we're kind of like superheroes, you know? We have to keep our identities a secret and we have powers! That's so cool! Imagine in the future they would make a movie about us! The Flying Bird Kids! I can see it now, the actress who plays me better be hot or someone's going to get hurt. I wonder who would play you and Iggy! Or Max! That actress better really pretty or it won't do Max justice, right Fang?" She asked, finally stopping.

I blinked, "Sure." I said.

Nudge was about to set off into another rant but Iggy slapped a hand over her mouth, "Nudge, I love you and all, but please shut up. I can feel a migraine coming on and I don't even get migraines!" Iggy snapped.

She blushed, "Sorry." She muttered from behind his hand. We all shot him a thankful look.

"And yes Nudge, we can get new shoes. We all need new shoes and clothes anyway." I said.

She squealed and gave me a hug, "Thanks Fang!" She said and I patted her head awkwardly.

"Yeah you're welcome, I guess." I said, feeling really awkward at the moment.

We entered Wal-Mary and the Flock instantly split, going to their respective sections. Nudge and Angel went off to the girls' section, Gazzy went off to the boys' section- I wouldn't trust him alone, but I certainly wouldn't send Iggy with him- and Iggy and I went over to the junior guys' section.

A while later I had gathered a few cargo pants, shorts and sweat pants- all grey and black- and some tee shirts. Most were plain black or grey but Iggy had insisted on putting some graphic tee shirts in there. Iggy had gotten some sweatpants, guy skinny jeans and shorts which were different colors. He had also gotten lots of shirts.

Now we were waiting for the rest of the Flock to meet us by the check-out section and Iggy was getting bored, which was never a good thing.

"Fang, I'm bored!" Iggy whined, leaning against the cart, which rolled forward from his weight and he fell down.

I snickered, "Careful Iggy." I said. He grumbled and shot me a glare. He got up, using one of the nearby stands to help him up.

"Hey Fang is this stuff gift-wrap?" He asked, taking one of the tubes of gift wrap out of the big box.

I raised an eyebrow, "Yeah why? What are you planning?" I asked, immediately suspicious.

He grinned slyly, "Oh nothing." He said, placing the roll of gift wrap behind him. That boy was definitely up to something

"Iggy, I swear to god, if whatever you're planning is going to get us banned from Wal-Mart you better stop while you're ahead." I warned. He just ignored me and continued to grin like an idiot.

I shrugged, "Whatever, I'm not covering for you if you get in trouble." I said, leaning on my elbows which were on the cart rail.

A woman in her early thirties I assume walked by with a little kid in her cart and Iggy stopped smiling. He walked up to her seriously and took out his gift wrap tube, "Hey lady, I bet you can't beat me in a duel!" He taunted.

"What? Who are you?" The lady exclaimed, trying to push past Iggy, but he kept blocking her path. I smacked my forehead, so this is what the idiot was planning on doing. The lady was getting obviously a bit scared so I decided to intervene before Iggy ended up in jail for assault or something like that.

I stepped up and held Iggy back, "I'm so sorry ma'am, my friend is a bit troubled and I think he slipped too much crack into his cereal this morning." I explained.

She scoffed, "Kids these days." She said, pushing past us.

Iggy slumped, "Aw man, I was in the zone!" He exclaimed defeated.

I smacked the back of his head, "Are you trying to get us in trouble, you moron?" I shouted quietly at him. He held his hands up in surrender, "Put the gift-wrap back and stand in one place." I ordered.

He sighed but followed my order anyway. I stood next to him to make sure he didn't move. The Flock didn't come and I was getting bored, too. I went through our stuff and realized we forgot to get socks.

"Hey Igs, we forgot socks, come on let's go get some before the Flock comes." I said, leading him to the socks section.

"Stay here, I'm going to get the socks and be back before you can blink, understood?" I said, leaving him by the men's section. He saluted me and stood still like a statue. I narrowed my eyes at him but walked away nonetheless.

My first mistake.

I honestly should have learned by now not to leave Iggy alone for even two minutes. I grabbed three packs of socks for both me and Iggy and returned to the spot where I left him. Everything was there . . .

Except for Iggy.

"Dammit, where did that boy go?" I grumbled, running my hands through my hair. Taking care of that boy was like taking care of a hyperactive ADHD five year old with too much sugar in his system. O threw the socks into the cart and walked around the store, trying to find Iggy.

I walked by the girls' section and found Nudge, who was pushing a full cart full of clothes, "Hey Fang! Look at all the clothes I found! Who knew Wal-Mart could have such cool clothes!" She exclaimed happily.

"Nudge, we are not getting that many clothes, we are staying at a hotel, there won't be enough place for all that!" I said.

She pouted, "I guess you're right, I'll go put some of this stuff back." She said.

"Hey wait, have you seen Iggy? And where's Angel, she was with you." I asked.

"Angel went to the bathroom but I haven't seen Iggy, sorry." She said, putting some of the clothes back onto the rack.

Suddenly a blonde head popped out from the rack screaming, "PICK ME! PICK ME!" Nudge dropped all the clothes she was holding a screamed, hell even I jumped about a foot in the air.

There was Iggy, clutching his sides, laughing his ass off.

Both Nudge and I glowered, "_Iggy!" _We both yelled.

He stopped laughing and looked at us, slightly pale, "Oh shit." He said, before taking off.

I rubbed my temples, "Nudge you okay?" I asked, she nodded, placing a hand on her heart.

"Yeah I think so, do me a favor. Kick his ass for me?" She asked.

I nodded, "Gladly." I said and pushed the cart next to hers, "Watch this." I said before taking off after Iggy.

I ran through the store, trying to find Iggy. Finally I found him in the athletics department, taking a bike.

"Sorry, taking it for a test drive!" He called as over his shoulder as he pedaled away.

"That bastard!" I grumbled, chasing after him.

I ran through the store once more and this time I found Iggy crashed into the apple stand, the wheels of the bike still spinning.

I walked over to him and glared, "You idiot." I mumbled.

"Oh Fang is that you? I can see the light, it's so pretty." Iggy trailed off, holding his head.

I walked over to him and pulled him up hard by the arm, "You freaking idiot. You are so dead." I growled with gritted teeth.

"Mister, you have a lot of explaining to do." A chubby man in a Wal-Mart shirt said, coming up to us, a tag with 'Manager' written on it.

"Well shit." I hissed under my breath.

[Max/Vy POV]

School. Is. Torture.

It really is, It's nothing compared to the School but on its own it's pretty bad. It's boring- especially when you're two years above your grade level- and 98% of the people in it are complete idiots.

AP World History was supposed to be a challenging course, but really for me it was a walk in the park. I had spent three months catching up when I had arrived in Arizona and with Ella's help and the help of the tutor's Mom hired, I was able to pass my grade level and I now rested at a college level. But to blend in, I was forced to stay in my grade level.

I sighed bored and rested my head in my hand and stared out the window. Ever since I got up this morning, I had a really bad feeling in the pit of my stomach, like something major is going to happen. Something that will change my life at the moment and I was nervous to find out what it was. Was it an Eraser attack because I know I hadn't completely wiped them out? Was Jeb going to return? I honestly have no idea. I was just worried.

I was disturbed from my thought when a note landed on my desk. I opened it to find Tara's neat handwriting.

'You wanna hang out after school, you look a bit troubled, more than usual' she had written. I rolled my eyes; this was why I was friends with her. Even though she was obsessed with clothes and boys, she was a good listener and good at giving advice.

I smiled and quickly jotted down a quick 'yeah'. I tossed the note back to Tara who caught it, read it and quickly folded it into a paper airplane. When Mrs. Higgrey- our witch-like teacher- wasn't looking, she tossed it out my open window. I shook my head at her antics and she just gave me a thumbs up.

[Fang's POV]

Things had not gone well at Wal-Mart but we were fortunately not banned from there, as long as we paid for the damages that Iggy and Gazzy- who had apparently blown up the men's bathroom- caused, which was not going to be an easy feat to do. But since we have the Max card, it hopefully should be enough.

Also the manager let us keep everything we had bought so we had arrived back at the motel carrying around ten bags of supplies, each. We managed to shove everything into the small closet and the dresser that the motel room had supplied but now the drawers wouldn't close.

If we were planning on staying here, we really needed to find a better place to stay.

"Okay guys, we need to go over the procedure." I said, gathering everyone into our room.

"Fang, we've been over the procedure a million times, don't draw attention to yourselves, don't show your powers or wings and blend it. It's nothing new." Nudge said, lying down on Iggy's bed.

"Oh." I said, "Okay then." I said dismissively.

Gazzy plopped down on the couch and propped his feet up on the table, "Do you think we'll find Max this time?" He asked quietly.

Angel perked up, "I'm sure we will, I mean if Ella's here, Max might be here, too." She said hopefully.

Nudge rolled over and lay on her stomach, "Yeah and if not, maybe she has heard from Max. I have a feeling we're not going to leave Arizona with nothing." She said.

_[Next Day, _Max/Vy POV]

Geometry is usually a very boring class, more so than the rest of my classes. Nothing ever happens in Geometry.

But today was different.

Mr. Geoff entered the class, ten minutes late- a feat which never happens-, "Sorry class, my car ran out of gas. Now getting right to business, we have two new students joining us today. Give them a warm welcome." He said. As soon as he said that, two boys stepped into the room.

My heart stopped.

"Oh shit." I said, voicing the only thoughts that were running through my head at the moment.

Standing in front of the classroom were Fang and Iggy. What were they doing here? Okay they were obviously here looking for me, but _what? _I was shell-shocked.

I looked around to see everyone else's reactions, the girls were swooning over Iggy (ew gross) and the guys were snickering at Fang.

Wait what?

Snickering at Fang?

I looked over at Fang and I could feel snickers building up inside of me as well. What in the world was he _wearing? _

He had on an olive green plaid shirt with tan overalls. He also had on glasses with duct tape on the bridge. What in the world?

I looked over at Sunnah who was trying to suppress her laughter, as well.

Oh boy. This was going to be interesting.

. . .

"Class, this is Nick Pablo Ride and James Ride." He said, pointing out which boy was which.

_Pablo? _Was this some kind of joke, it had to be.

"Nick, you can sit next to Sunnah in the back and James, you can sit next to Alice." Mr. Geoff said, pointing out the girls. Well at least Fang is next to someone who knows that he's mine, not that any girl is going to make a move on him dressed like that.

Fang led Iggy to the table where Alice sat, twirling her hair in an attempt to be flirty, unfortunately she hadn't noticed that Iggy is blind yet.

After Iggy sat down, Fang made his way over to Sunnah. I ducked my head as he passed by and lifted it an inch to see him sit down next to Sunnah, who offered him a friendly smile and introduced herself. She looked over at me and nodded.

'Take care of him.' I mouthed over to her.

She nodded again, 'What's with the clothes?' She mouthed back. From I had told her about Fang, I guess she noticed that this wasn't his normal attire.

I shrugged, 'I don't know, ask him!' I replied back.

"Miss Martinez, would you mind showing the two of them around?" Mr. Geoff asked.

I snapped my head up and smiled, "Sure." I said through gritted teeth. Of course it had to be me.

The bell rang, ending that interesting class and I sighed. I gathered my stuff and made my way to Iggy and Fang, who were standing by Iggy's desk.

I walked up to them and smiled, "Hi I'm Violet, people call me Vy." I said in a friendly tone, offering my hand for them to shake, even though I knew Fang wouldn't take it and Iggy wouldn't see it.

My predictions came true because neither boy shook my hand, "Anyways-"I said awkwardly, letting my hand fall back to my side.

"So James, are you blind" I asked hesitantly, even though I already knew the answer.

He shrugged, "Yeah I am, no big. Call me Iggy." He said.

I frowned, "I'm so sorry . . . Iggy." I said.

He smiled, "It's okay, you didn't do it. My mute friend here is Fang." He said, patting Fang on the shoulder which he brushed off.

"I'm not mute." He muttered darkly.

I tried to look confused, "A nickname I'm guessing?" I asked.

Fang looked at me, "Yeah." He said.

I cleared my throat, "Okay since Mr. Conversationalist likes making things extremely awkward, let's just get this show on the road. Let me see your schedules." I said, taking the boys' schedules from their hands. I quickly scanned their schedules; I have Geometry, Life Science, History and Music with Fang and Geometry, Life Science, Art and Gym with Iggy. Fortunately I didn't have lunch with them so I could discuss this situation with Sunnah, Tara and Ella.

"Okay, looks like we have Life Science together next." I said, walking out the door, "Well are you coming or not?" I asked, looking over my shoulders. They shrugged and followed me out the door.

[Fang's POV]

Well the first day was okay, Vy seems pretty nice. Vy was very pretty. She was stunning. She looked even more stunning up close. Her black hair looked really silky and made me want to run my hands through it. And her lips were so perfect, I just wanted to grab her and kiss her senseless. God, what is happening to me? This is NOT good. What about Max? Oh, Max…

Huh, just the thought of her made me forget about Vy. Good to know, that could be very helpful later on…

I saw Vy talking quietly to that Indian girl I saw yesterday. They didn't seem like the gossip type. But I did see Vy laughing. I wouldn't blame her because of this stupid outfit Iggy made me wear. We had a bet and I lost, so now I have to dress like a complete geek for the rest of the week. Fun.

The bell rang, signaling the end of the day. I gathered my stuff and walked out of the class, ignoring the snickers and taunts that followed me. If only they knew I could break their bones in a second.

I bumped into Vy on my way out, "Hey Fang, how was your first day?" She asked. If only she knew . . .

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><p><strong>And that's the second re-written chapter. I hope you liked it! R&amp;R!<strong>


	3. Chapter 3: Finding Out the Obvious

**I'm on a roll, this is my third chapter in a day. Well the third chapter that I've written. This is the second chapter that will be published, the first one (Chapter 15) is still with my beta. I'm taking full advantage of my new laptop and free time. **

**Disclaimer: Any society that needs disclaimers has too many lawyers. Either way I own nothing.**

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><p>"Holy shit Ella!" I shouted when I entered the cafeteria, making all eyes go on me. I flushed and quietly made my way over to Ella who was watching me, an amused expression on her face, from her spot on the lunch line.<p>

"Yes Vy?" She asked, trying to suppress her laughter.

I scowled, "Oh shut up, this is an emergency!" I said frantically.

She rolled her eyes, "Oh yeah, is it an emergency like last time when you said Erasers were attacking when they were really rabid dogs?" She asked.

I made a face, "that was once and in my defense, I had a really bad dream about Erasers the night before!" I said, crossing my arms.

She nodded, "Uh huh yeah sure, what's the emergency this time?" She said, taking an apple and placing it on her tray.

I looked around and made sure no one was listening and then I whispered, "Fang and Iggy are here."

Now that got her attention, she froze, "_What?_" She exclaimed not-so-quietly, making everyone look at us again.

"What are _you _looking at?" I snapped and everyone quickly turned their heads away.

"You're joking, right?" Ella hissed, moving along in the line.

I scowled, "Would I joke about something like this?" I hissed back.

She sighed, "I guess not. Are they looking for you?" She asked, walking with me back to our table.

I let out a exasperated breath, "I don't know, I only had two classes with them so far." I explained, sitting down with her at out table. Sunnah and Tara sat down not two seconds later, slamming their lunch trays onto the table.

"Fang and Iggy are here!" They both whisper-shouted at the same time.

I rolled my eyes, "Geez I hadn't noticed." I sneered.

Sunnah glared at me, "Well what are you going to do?" She asked worried.

I ran my hands through my black hair, "I have no idea! I don't even know if they are here for Max or not." I told them.

Tara scoffed, "Of course they are here for Max, why else would they come to the town where her biological mom and sister are?" She pointed out.

I sighed, "You're right." I said, dropping my head into my hands.

"Well are you going to tell them?" Ella asked, poking her lunch with a fork.

I looked up at her, "I don't know, I don't think I'm ready to tell them. I mean they're obviously going to be furious at me and I'm not sure I can deal with that right now." I admitted.

Sunnah sighed, "Fine it's your secret Vy, we won't force you to spill but you should seriously consider telling them before things get too out of hand."

I crinkled my nose, "I know, but for now we have to be really careful around them." I said and then I looked at the food on my friend's plates, "Is that even food?"

Tara made a face and poked her food, "I think so." She said.

Sunnah's eyes widened, "I don't know Tara, I think I saw mine move." She said uncertainly, pushing her tray away. Tara and Ella copied her actions.

I shook my head, "Never mind, I'm sorry I asked." I said.

Ella looked at her food distastefully, "Yeah me too." She said.

"Okay so what's the plan?" Sunnah asked.

I shrugged, "Be very careful." I said simply.

Tara nodded, "Good plan."

"So you're going to tell them your cover story right?" Ella asked. I nodded. My cover story was that both my parents abused me until two years ago when I had screamed and the neighbors heard me and called the police. I was put into a orphanage and then a about a year later Dr. M came around, looking for a daughter to adopt. Next thing I knew, I was being pulled into an office with a smiling lady in it. That's how Vy's story went.

"I don't know, I mean it's supposed to be something personal, it's not something you would bring up into a conversation you know? Like 'Hey I used to be abused by my parents until two years ago! Want to see my scars?' That would be an interesting conversation." I simpered.

Ella scowled, "I was just asking, geez." She said.

I frowned, "Sorry." I mumbled.

Sunnah smiled, "It's okay Vy, we know you love us, you love us thiiiiiiiiiis much." She said, spreading her arms wide apart, smiling like an idiot. Tara and Ella snickered and I could feel the heat crawling up my neck.

"I was drugged for God's sake!" I cried making a few of the students and teachers turn our way. I was sure my face was as red as a tomato at this point as I buried my face in my hands.

"I hate you." I muttered. I was answered with laughs.

"I had to!" Sunnah said, laughing away.

I picked my head and glared at her, "I should have never have told you guys that! I should have just let it died with me and Fang!" I said.

Just then a teacher walked over to me and placed a hand on my shoulder, "It's okay, I understand you've had a hard past but you have to understand. Drugs are not the answer; there are better ways to cope with the pains of the past. I know a very good shrink; I can suggest you to her, if you like. You will get past this." She said kindly. She was honestly concerned but really! I wasn't a drug addict!

Tara, Sunnah and Ella shrieked with laughter, Tara even fell out her chair.

The teacher turned to them and shot them a glare, "Girls! Doing drugs is a serious issue! It is not a laughing matter! Detention for all three of you!" She snapped. She was about to leave when she turned to me and gave me a last reassuring smile.

I sat there, my mouth hanging open, while Tara struggled to pull herself up from the ground.

"That was _precious!" _Ella shrieked, clutching her stomach.

Sunnah stopped laughing abruptly, "Wait did she detention for a week?" She squeaked. Tara and Ella stopped laughing too and their faces paled.

I smirked victoriously, "Karma."

I pulled through the rest of lunch and the nest two periods without losing much of my sanity. Apparently dealing with Fang and Iggy was going to be much harder than I thought, especially since every girl tried to hit on Iggy and every guy kept making fun of Fang.

Plus they couldn't stop arguing! I mean if I thought the Flock was psychotic was insane when I had left them, now they must be fully mental! If Fang was the leader- which of course he was, he was the one to step up when I wasn't there- then boy he must have a heck of a time trying to keep his head screwed on right.

Now I was currently walking with Fang to our next class, having long since dropped Iggy off at his next class. He had begged us not to leave him alone with Alice- the school slut- who kept trying to hit on him, so much that he could recognize her perfume from a mile away. Then again, all of us could, she practically took a shower in it every morning.

"So . . . do you have any siblings?" I asked, even though I knew the answer, five- including me.

"Five." He answered simply.

I whistled, "Damn, things must be always busy at your house."

I could see a smile forming on his lips, "You have no idea." He replied and then an awkward silence befell upon us.

"Where are you from?" I asked, trying to keep up a conversation. Things used to be so natural between us, but then again this is not really 'us' this is a nerdy Fang and an abused stranger.

"Alabama, our dad transferred." He said.

I nodded in understanding, "Ah, did you have a lot of friends back home?"

He shook his head, "Nah, I'm not much a people person." He said.

I gasped, "Really? I would have never guessed." I exclaimed in fake shock, this time he cracked a small smile.

"So tell me about your siblings." I said, nudging him in the side.

He sighed, "If you insist. Iggy is one of the twins. Yes there's another one like him, but she's more of a 'Most-Likely- To-Take-Over-The-World type of person. She's nice; she's goes to a boarding school, though." He explained. Why was I twins with _Iggy? _My life is insane . . .

I took note of how he stuttered- Fang stuttering? - Over my name, "How come?" I asked. I saw the struggle in his eyes as he tried to come up with a good alibi. Sloppy work Fang, you should have had a cover story down pat when you entered this building.

"She got into a lot of fights at her old school, with teachers and students." He finally said. I chuckled, that sounded believable for me. He picked up on my chuckling and raised an eyebrow, "What?" He asked.

I shook my head, "Nothing, I was just thinking, your house must _really _be entertaining." I replied.

He shook his head seriously, "You have no idea."

I raised an eyebrow, "You keep saying that." I pointed out.

"Because it's true. You have not seen insanity until you have spent ten minutes with my family."

I smiled, believing that whole-heartedly, "Anyway what about the rest of you guys?" I asked.

"Well I was adopted. We have a thirteen year old sister, Nudge, she was adopted as well. She brings a whole new meaning to the word chatterbox. Then there's Gazzy. He's ten and very gassy. Finally there's Angel, she's nine, she's a sweet kid." He explained.

I picked up on the fact that he hadn't mentioned my name, "What's Iggy's twin's name?" I asked innocently.

By now I could read Fang like an open book and I saw the flash of surprise that went through his eyes for a moment, "Er Maxine." He said quickly. Maxine? Gross, that sounds like a make-up company. Which one am I thinking of? Oh yeah Maybelline. Couldn't he have been more original? Like Maxis? Or something like that?

But I kept up with my act, "Oh that's a nice name." I said thoughtfully.

"Yeah I guess."

"Yeah . . ." I said trailing off into a comfortable silence, which Fang had to break.

"What about you?" He asked.

I looked surprised, "What about me?"

He rolled his eyes, "I just told you practically my life story. It's your turn." Someone's gotten more talkative. I guess being the leader of the Flock does that to you.

I shrugged, "There's not much to tell, at least I think so. It's just your typical sob story. Girl abused by her parents until she screamed and the cops showed up. She got adopted and lived happily ever after. Nothing original." I said nonchalantly. If only he knew the other side of me. Oh great, now I sound like a Hannah Montana song.

"I'm sorry." Fang said, but I could tell he was just saying it because it was the polite thing to do.

I shrugged, "You don't have to say sorry, I've received enough of those to last me a life time." I explained.

He nodded, "I know the feeling, my parents died in a car crash when I was five. I've been cycling through orphanages since then. Finally the Rides took me in." He explained. So that was his cover story.

I smiled at him, "I would say 'sorry' but I think you already know why I won't." I said and he nodded.

"Oh look here we are!" I said, as we entered our next class.

"Ah Ms. Martinez here you are, and with our new student as well. Well take your seats but first Mr. Ride would you like to introduce yourself to the class?" The teacher asked.

He shook his head, "No not really." He said, following me to the back where there were only two empty seats remaining. The teacher huffed and continued with the lesson.

[_One Week Later, _Fang's POV]

The week was over and I couldn't be any more happy. I could finally stop dressing like a complete idiot. But as happy as I was that the week was over, I was also disappointed. It had been a week there was still no sign of Max.

_-Flashback-_

"_Hey Fang, head's up!" Max shouted as she hurled the football towards me. I smirked and started to rim after it. I began to near and I jumped and caught it. As I caught it, I spun around and landed on my feet perfectly. _

"_Nice try Max, but I caught that." I said, smirking victoriously. _

_She pouted, "Damn!" She said. I laughed, her pout was adorable, not that I would say that out loud. Nope, just thinking that could make me lose my manliness. _

_I walked over to her and handed her the ball, "Here, now you win." I said, giving her a warm smile. _

_She glared at me, "And I'm supposed to accept this? What sort of pansy do you expect me to be? No, I'm going to win fair and square!" She said stubbornly. I just smiled and pressed my lips to hers. Her eyes widened in surprise but closed after a moment as she dropped the football and wrapped her arms around my neck. I smiled against her lips and wrapped my arm around her waist and brought her closer to me. _

_We didn't do much except make out- not that I was complaining- and I was sad when she pulled away._

"_Nice try big guy, but I'm still not accepting this. I'm going to beat your ass fair and square. Now back to starting positions!" She said confidently. _

_I smirked, "Whatever you say." I said, walking back over to the middle of the yard._

_-End Flashback-_

I missed those moments, where it was just me and Max, no one else. Those were the best of the times we spent on the run.

Unfortunately, I hadn't noticed Vy snapping her fingers in front of my face for the past three minutes, "Hello Fang? If you don't reply, I'm going to assume your schizophrenic or something." She said, snapping her fingers once.

I blinked, "What?"

She let out a relieved breath, "Finally you're out of la-la land. I was going to say Iggy left for the bathroom." She said, returning to her ice cream. I nodded and returned to my own ice cream. Over the week we have grown to be friends and I enjoyed Vy's company. Now we were waiting at the local ice cream parlor, waiting for the Flock to arrive. Vy was going to finally meet the insanity that is the Flock.

Sunnah, Tara and Ella came back with their ice creams and slid into the booth. Iggy came out of the bathroom, zipping up the fly on his pants and slid into the booth, next to Ella. The bell on the door jingled and the Flock entered.

Showtime.

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><p><strong>And that's a wrap! I would start to work on Chapter 4 but since my parents decided to cut off the Internet from midnight to morning, I can't upload this, so lucky you, I'll just work on the next chapter! R&amp;R?<strong>


	4. Chapter 4: Ice Cream, Cookies and Fruit

**Fourth re-written chapter! I have to say, I love summer vacation AND my new laptop. Like seriously, my laptop is now my love. **

**Disclaimer: I remember when writing this chapter, I didn't own anything and I still don't. Foo.**

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><p>"Hi Fang, hi Iggy and you must Violet! I'm Nudging and I have to say that I absolutely love your name. Purple happens to be my favorite color! Is it yours, too? Oh my god, are your eyes purple, too? That's so cool! They look so pretty, I can see why Fang won't stop-"At this point Fang slapped his hand over Nudge's mouth, the tips of his ears turning pink.<p>

But I was too shocked to take notice of his embarrassment. The Flock had grown so much; I was tearing up at how much I had missed.

Nudge stood in front of the rest of the Flock, she was definitely taller than she was two years ago and her hair was more tame. Her cheeks lost some of their baby fat and her nose was rounder. She wore a yellow halter top, some jean shorts and some jewelry. She had even put on some make-up.

Angel was also taller; she was a bit taller than Gazzy was when I had left. Her curly hair was more straight now and a bit darker, almost dirty-blonde and it reached her mid-back. Plus, now she looked like Gazzy's sister, her complexion had grown to be similar to Gazzy's. She wore a pink sundress with white leggings underneath and some fake jewelry which I'm sure Nudge bought her.

Gazzy looked pretty much the same as he had when I had left but he had shot up, if I was standing he would reach two inches under my shoulder. His complexion had also faired and he looked more grown-up.

I blinked, _Okay, stay focused Max, _I thought to myself.

"Wow," I said, blinking once more, "Hi." I said acting surprised at the amount that Nudge could talk.

Nudge blushed, "Sorry, I guess they didn't warn you, I can talk _a lot." _She said.

I laughed, "Its okay, I'll get used to it. Nice to meet you." I said, giving her a warm smile. She smiled and slid into the booth, next to Ella.

"I'm Gazzy and this is my sister Angel." Gazzy said, stepping up and introducing him and Angel.

Angel glowered, "I can introduce myself, thank you very much Gazzy." She said, pouting.

He put his hands up, "Okay then you introduce yourself." He said/

She smiled, "I'm Angel! It's nice to meet you finally. Fang won't stop talking about you; really it's kind of annoying." She admitted and Fang turned pink.

I chuckled, "Well sorry to cause you any inconvenience." I said warmly.

She nodded, "It's okay, Fang needs a girlfriend!" She said cutely before sliding into the booth next to Nudge. Before you ask, the booth was really big. Gazzy nodded at me and slid in and sat next to Iggy. Some things never change.

I could feel myself blushing, too from Angel's comment and Fang cleared his throat awkwardly, "Well that's enough out of you." He said, narrowing his eyes at Angel who just smiled at him innocently.

"Where's Maxine?" I asked curiously.

The Flock stiffened up and Iggy spoke up, "Oh uh, she had some work to do for her boarding school. Apparently they give a lot more work there than at public school." He said, giving a lame excuse. But I couldn't really blame them; it was hard to cover up for a missing sister.

I nodded sympathetically, "Oh that sucks. I guess I'll just have to meet her later." I said smiling. The Flock nodded nervously, "Oh and by the way, this is my sister Ella and my friends Tara and Sunnah." I said, pointing them out to the rest of the Flock event though they already knew who Ella was.

"Hey." Tara, Sunnah and Ella said simultaneously, waving at them and the Flock returned the gesture. An awkward silence followed, even Nudge didn't have much to say. Well fun.

. . .

"Mom we're home!" I called, slamming the door close behind us. I was answered with silence.

"Huh, where's Mom?" Ella asked, walking around the house, looking for her. I headed straight to the kitchen, more specifically the fridge. On the fridge was a note, '_Hi girls, I had to go out to the clinic. I'll be back before dinner. Call if you need anything' _was written in Mom's neat handwriting.

"She's gone out to the clinic!" I called out to Ella, throwing the note away and opening the fridge, looking for food.

Ella came in and saw me raiding the fridge, "Didn't you just have three servings of ice cream?" She asked, placing her hands on her hips.

I continued to look through the fridge, "I'm a growing mutant bird-kid. I get hungry fast. Plus, laughing at a sugar high Iggy can starve a girl." I said. Unfortunately for us, Iggy had eaten too much ice cream and got a bit hyper. We ended up getting kicked out of the ice cream parlor though we didn't mind much; we were too busy laughing at Iggy who had gotten his face shoved into an ice cream cone.

"Where did Mom keep the cookies?" I asked Ella, closing the fridge and moving the pantry. Before I could look very much, the pantry closed and I turned to see an annoyed Ella, "What?" I asked innocently.

"Max, you just ate three servings of ice cream and now you're going to inhale a plate of cookies. Eat something healthy instead. I'm making a fruit salad, do you want some?" She asked.

I pouted, "But cookies are healthy! They're good for the heart!" I defended.

She scoffed, "No they're not, they're just carbs and sugar." She said, taking out multiple fruits from the fridge.

I gasped, "How dare you say that about my precious cookies!" I exclaimed, offended. Cookies were heavenly! They were the golden fruit of the world! They were not 'just carbs and sugar'! They were little round pieces of heaven!

She rolled her eyes, "Whatever you say Max, but you're still not getting any cookies. If you're hungry eat some fruit salad."

I huffed, "Fine, give me the salad." I said, sitting down at the counter, pouting. Ella smiled victoriously and placed a bowl of fruits in front of me and handed me a fork.

"Enjoy. I'll be in the living room if you need me." She said, taking her own bowl and fork and walked into the living room. I pouted and poked the fruit with my fork. I ate the fruit in silence, looking around the room. My eyes landed on the top of the fridge where a cat-shaped jar stood. I smiled and dropped the fork.

I walked over to the fridge and looked at the jar. I think I could reach it if I stood on my tip-toes. I stood on my tip-toes and reached my arm up but unfortunately it came a few inches short.

"Dammit, how tall is this fridge?" I muttered. I sighed and walked to the windows and pulled the blinds down. After I did so I unfurled my wings and floated up, taking the cookie jar with ease. I smiled and landed on my feet. I tucked my wings and took a step towards the counter but my foot went to the side and I fell down on my face.

I felt my nose my contact with the hard tile and I'm sure I heard something crack. I groaned and tried to grab the counter. I groped around with my arm until I found the counter. I grabbed the counter and tried to pull myself up but the counter was slippery from the fruit juice that must have come from when Ella was cutting the fruit because my fingers slipped and I ended up landing awkwardly on top of my arm.

I groaned, "Ella-"I yelled.

She came into the room and her eyes widened when she saw me, "Max, what the hell did you do?"

I smiled weakly, "I found the cookies." I said.

She rolled her eyes, "And how exactly did you end up on the floor?" She asked, helping me up.

"Well it involved aliens, an intense battle, magical unicorns and some very angry trolls." I said in a very serious voice. Ella just looked at me like I grew a second head.

"Okay you sit down here and don't move. I'm going to call Mom." Ella said, placing me in the chair and giving me a stern look. I saluted her with my good arm and she rolled her eyes. She picked up the nearby phone and dialed our mom.

"Hey Mom, it's me. Yeah everything's fine here, well not everything. Max hurt herself trying to get the cookies. I told you not to put them so high." Ella said into the phone and I glared at her from my spot.

"Yeah her nose looks broken and I think she sprained her wrist." Ella said. I could hear my mom telling Ella what to do.

"Okay thanks, bye mom. Love you." She said ad hung up the phone. She turned to me and said, "Mom said to bring you over to the clinic, she'll fix you up." She explained, "Can you walk?" She asked.

I nodded, "Yeah, let's go." I said getting up and walking towards the door.

. . .

[Fang's POV]

"Why do I feel like my head's been hit by ten bricks?" Iggy moaned again.

"Because you kept falling down and running into walls." Angel explained.

Iggy looked at her skeptically, "Why would I do that? Did you guys drug me?" He accused, jumping back and pointing a finger at us.

I rolled my eyes at him, "No Iggy you just had too much sugar and ran around screaming and giggling like a moron." I told him.

"Liar, I don't believe you! This is all part of a conspiracy to get rid of me!" He cried overdramatically.

Nudge leant over and whispered, "I think he still has some sugar left in him." She said. I nodded watching as Iggy accused of trying to kill him.

Finally I walked over and slapped him in the back of the head, "Iggy calm down. No one's trying to kill you, though I wouldn't be surprised if someone was." I said, muttering the last part under my breath.

"What was that?" Iggy asked.

I straightened up, "Nothing, now come on, we haven't reached the motel yet." I said.

"Really? I hadn't noticed." Iggy simpered.

I glared, "Well I wasn't sure if you were connected with reality so sue me." I snapped. He glared at me and stuck his tongue out at me. I rolled my eyes and continued to walk.

"Vy's nice." Nudge said, trying to start a conversation.

Gazzy perked up, "Yeah she's cool!" He exclaimed excitedly.

Nudge rolled her eyes, "Last time you said someone was cool, he tried to sell us used diapers and go out with Fang." She told him. I shuddered at that memory, not one of my fondest memories. Gazzy huffed and crossed him arms.

"I think she's really nice. Plus she's really pretty and her eyes are so cool. I mean have you seen anyone with purple eyes? That's just so cool! And she's really funny, too! She told me this joke and it was really funny but I forgot what it was about but I know it was really funny." Nudge started.

"Nudge, I'm going to stop you there before you get started." Iggy interjected.

She huffed, "Fine, Angel what do you think of Vy? We already know what Fang thinks of her." She said, nudging me. I narrowed my eyes at her and she giggled.

"She's okay." Angel said.

Nudge raised an eyebrow, "Just okay?" She inquired.

Angel shrugged, "I mean she's nice and stuff but her mind in really weird." She admitted.

I sighed, "Angel what did I say about reading strangers' minds?" I asked her.

"Not to, but I couldn't help myself." She defended herself, "Anyway, it was really weird, the whole time she kept flashing back to conversations she's had with Fang and Iggy. She also kept wondering about Max." Angel told us before I could scold her. I had to admit that was strange.

"What's wrong with that?" Gazzy asked.

Iggy answered that for Angel, "She just met you guys, she should have been thinking about you guys. What Angel's saying is that Vy had no impressions about you guys." He explained.

Nudge looked confused, "Isn't that a good thing?" She asked.

"No, that means she didn't even notice you guys were there." I answered her.

"Well then!" Nudge exclaimed, offended.

Iggy placed a hand on her shoulder, "Don't worry about it Nudge, I'm sure it's nothing. I'm sure she liked you even with your nonstop chattering." He said.

Nudge glared at him halfheartedly, "says you, you got us kicked out the ice cream parlor! I didn't even get to finish my ice cream! I'm very mad at you for that." She snapped at him.

Iggy just chuckled. Without warning he picked her up and spun her around, "Oh yeah? Are you still mad?" He said as she screamed at him to put her down.

He finally complied and somehow managed to dodge to punch she sent his way, "You jerk!" She yelled at him. He just laughed and ruffled her hair. She glared at him some more. I shook my head; those two were like cats and dogs, forever fighting.

. . .

Later on, we were gathered in the motel room Iggy shared with Gazzy, watching some movie that Gazzy picked out. It was a newer one; it was about some boy and girl going to a fight to the death in a post-apocalyptic society. It seemed good but I didn't really pay attention. I was busy thinking about what Angel had said about Vy.

Why didn't she think about the Flock? That's definitely strange. When Angel said that a red flag instantly went up in my head, now I know Vy is important. If she's related to Max or something else entirely I'm not sure, but she's important.

The movie ended and the Flock burst into conversation about the movie. But Nudge quickly ended it, claiming she had something important to say.

"What is it?" Gazzy asked.

Nudge gulped, "Okay well you know that book Ella brought with her? I asked her if I could see the back of it because it looked interesting you know? And as soon as I touched I knew that Max had touched the book, recently too." She admitted, stunning us into silence.

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><p><strong>Fourth re-written chapter done! And I updated the next chapter, too! You guys must be so proud of me! Plus, I have Chapter 16 mostly done! That's . . . almost five chapters written in two days! Damn.<strong>

**Oh I just wanted to point out that Iggy and Nudge's relationship in this story is strictly brother/sister. It's not that I don't like Niggy, it's just that I have Eggy planned for this story. So any signs of affection shown to each is just sibling love. Sorry Niggy lovers!**

**R&R?**


	5. Chapter 5 Late Night Talks

**Fifth re-written chapter. . . Sorry if it's not the best, I'm not exactly in the greatest mood at the moment. **

**Disclaimer: I just don't own anything okay?**

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><p>"Are you sure it was Max?" Gazzy asked in a shaky voice, breaking the silence.<p>

Iggy nodded, "Yeah I mean they're sisters, they could 'feel' the same." He reasoned.

Nudge shook her head, "No, I'm positive it was Max. I asked Ella whose book it was she said it was Vy's, she had just bought it a few weeks ago. Ella said she was borrowing it." Nudge explained.

I leaned back against the couch, "So if it's new, then how could have Max touched it?" I asked.

Nudge shrugged, "The only logical explanation would be if Ella knew where Max and was hiding it from us." She said.

"But what does Vy have to do with it?" Angel piped in.

I thought for a moment, "Maybe she's just at the wrong place at the wrong time." I offered.

Angel took a moment to digest this idea, "I guess you could be right." She said, trailing off thoughtfully. The rest of us remained silent, taking some time to digest the new ourselves and to make our own opinions on it.

"Look guys, tomorrow I'll ask Ella about it tomorrow. Vy wouldn't know anything." I said, everyone nodded, they weren't all on board with the idea- I could see the hesitation in their eyes- but they agreed anyway.

I stood up, "Come on guys, we'll figure this out. Right now you guys need to go to sleep; we have school in the morning." I said, leading them out of Gazzy and Iggy's room.

"Night guys don't blow up anything." I said to them. They nodded numbly and I shut the door. I dropped off Nudge and Angel in their rooms and then went to mine, feelings numb as well.

. . .

[Max's POV]

I was in pain.

I had broken my nose and sprained my wrist. To make things better, on our way to the clinic, my foot landed in a hole and I ended up falling again, this time hurting my ankle which later turned out to be twisted.

I would heal myself but I couldn't. If people saw that I was inured one day and completely healed the next, questions would be asked and questions are what I'm trying to avoid.

I hobbled to my room and somehow by some miracle, managed to change into a black camisole and some comfy grey sweatpants. I was about to leave the bathroom when the door slammed open and hit me in the face.

"Ow goddamit!" I swore, clutching my once again bleeding nose.

Sunnah gasped, "Oh my god, I'm so sorry Max! I didn't know you were in here!" She exclaimed, rushing to my side.

I gasped in pain, "Well I was." I said, rubbing my lip, "That hurt." I said. Sunnah bit her lip and led me downstairs.

"Dr. M, I kind of might have messed up Max's nose even more." She said guiltily.

Mom stopped chopping the vegetables and sighed, "Honestly Max, we should wrap you in a bubble wrap." She said, walking over to me and taking my face in her hands, looking at my nose, "Well seeing as it already was broken, not much more damage could be done to it. Now it will just take longer to heal." Mom said.

Sunnah looked down at the ground, "Man, I feel so bad." She said, rubbing her arm.

I sighed rubbing my nose- Mom promptly scolded me for doing so and told me not to touch it- "It's okay Sunnah it was an accident." I said comfortingly.

She sighed, "I guess you're right, I still feel terrible though." She told me.

I narrowed my eyes playfully at her, "As you should." I teased. She glared at me and stuck her tongue out at me. I just rolled my eyes and waited for my mom to finish re-bandage my busted nose.

"Okay there, it's all set. Now don't hurt your nose anymore or we'll have to replace it all together!" Mom exclaimed, shooing us. I saluted her and wobbled up the stairs-with Sunnah's help and managed to make it to my room without injuring myself even further.

Tara and Ella were already sprawled out on the floor in my room, gossiping about some celebrity gossip they had heard when they saw me.

"Oh my god Max, what happened?" Tara asked, leaning up from her position on the ground.

I shook my head, "Nothing, Sunnah just nailed my face with a door." I said casually.

Sunnah snorted, "When you say it like that it sounds so violent." She pointed out, sitting down on my desk chair.

Ella looked concerned, "Are you okay?" She asked.

I nodded, "Yeah I'm fine, my nose will just take longer to heal. You have no idea how much it's bothering me, not being able to heal myself because of this stupid act." I complained, lying down on my bed.

Tara scoffed, "Now you know how the rest of us feel. We all don't have magical healing abilities." She said.

I glared, "They're not magical!" I exclaimed. Tara, Sunnah and Ella just laughed at my expense and Ella turned on my stereo and pretty soon All-American Rejects was blasting from the surround sound system I had hooked up.

We kept it at a medium level, we didn't want to disturb my mom and we just talked about everything that happened.

"Hey guys, do you think the Flock hates me for what I did?" I asked quietly.

Sunnah immediately answered, "No of course not."

Ella followed her, "Yea if they did, why else would they come to Arizona? If they hated you they would have avoided it all costs."

Tara piped in, "Plus I was talking to Iggy during school and he said that they loved their sister Maxine very much but she doesn't spend much time with her family." She told us.

I rolled over and lay on my stomach, "He really said that?" I asked.

Tara nodded, "Yeah, they really miss you." She said.

I frowned, "But why? I ran away when things became too much. I was a coward." I admitted.

Sunnah scowled, "Max you were upset. You were going through a lot at the time. I'm sure they understand that you were overwhelmed. And from what I heard don't you have a history of running away?" She asked, giving me a sly look.

I blushed, remembering the time Fang kissed me in the cave, "Yeah I guess I do." I said, smiling a bit.

Ella nodded, "Yeah, so I guess they're used to it by now." She joked.

I groaned, "Not making it any better you know!" I told them.

Sunnah shrugged, "If you want I can slap some sense into you." She offered.

My eyes widened, "No thanks I'm good." I said quickly. We all laughed and quickly strayed from the topic, moving onto trivial matters and eventually falling asleep.

. . .

I woke the next morning wanting to do something different. I wasn't sure if it was the multiple pain medications I was on for my injuries but I wanted to change something. I dragged myself off my bed, carefully stepped over my passed out friends and slipped into the bathroom. I looked at myself in the mirror and quickly transformed.

I watched as my hair became black and my complexion changed. Pretty soon Vy was staring back at me, a bruised version of Vy. An idea popped into my head and I smiled. I closed my eyes and willed my hair to change. When I opened them, a bright red streak had appeared on the right side of my hair, lying nicely with the rest of my now black hair.

I smiled and quickly slipped back into my room, grabbing some clothes and slipping back into the bathroom, how I was able to slip in and out so easily with a twisted ankle, I wasn't so sure but I wasn't about to complain either.

I undressed and slid into some red skinny jeans, a blue striped tee shirt and put a black leather jacket on top. I put on my favorite wing necklace and a pair of hoop earrings. I brushed my teeth and hair and smiled at my reflection, content.

I limped back into my room and saw that my friends were still sleeping. I shook my head and hopped downstairs, grabbing a bowl and filling it with cold water. I hopped back upstairs and held the bucket threatening over their heads.

"Come on guys, wake up." I said softly, kicking their sides lightly. They just groaned and buried their heads under the covers.

I smiled, "If you don't get up I'll throw this water on you." I told them only to be met with silence.

I sighed, "You have until the count of three." I said and began to count, "One. . ."

Nothing.

"Two . . ."

Nada.

"This is your last chance . . ."

Zero response.

"Three."

Dead silence.

I shrugged, "Very well then." I said casually and threw the water on top of them. They shot up, gasping and shivering.

"W_hat the hell?" _They shouted simultaneously, shivering.

I gave them my best innocent look, "I warned you." I said innocently.

Ella glared at me, "Don't give us that innocent look, we're freezing!" She exclaimed, rubbing her arms.

I placed my hands on my hips, "Well obviously, you're soaked." I pointed out.

Tara also glared, "And whose fault is that?" She snapped.

I pretended to think for a moment, "Yours?" I said finally.

"That's it." Sunnah said, getting up and glaring at me. I gulped and made a dash for the door as fast as I could, limping. She chased me out the door, followed by Tara and Ella. Even though I had a twisted ankle, I was still faster than them. Meanwhile Dr. M came down, yawning and paused at the bottom of the stairs.

"Get back here!" Sunnah yelled, holding her soggy slipper up threateningly.

"Never!" I shouted back.

Dr. M shook her head and walked back up the stairs, "One normal morning, that's all I ask." She muttered as she climbed back up the stairs.

They chased me for a while longer before I gave in, "Well you got me? What are you going to do now?" I asked, panting. They stood there for a moment trying to think of something to do to me. I rolled my eyes, typical. They chase me around and when they catch me they don't know what to do to me.

Finally Tara slapped the back of my head, "There." She said smiling triumphantly.

I pretended to be in mock pain, "Ow that hurt so much, I'm dying!" I cried out.

Ella rolled her eyes, "Come on Miss Overdramatic, we need to get dried off." She said, climbing up the stairs.

"You wouldn't be soaked if you had gotten up." I muttered, following her as she went up the stairs. Tara and Sunnah just laughed and followed me up the stairs.

I waited somewhat patiently on my bed as they got ready. It was pretty entertaining towa tch actually. They argued over every little thing, from the shoes they were going to wear to bra. By the time they were ready, my sides ached from laughing so much.

"Are you guys finally ready?" I asked as they entered the room one by one.

Tara flipped her hair dramatically, "Yes we are." She said in a British accent.

Sunnah raised an eyebrow, "Don't talk like that." She told Tara who pouted at her.

"But my British accent is amazing!" She said.

"Not it's not." Ella said. Tara pouted again and looked at me for help.

I looked at her sympathetically, "Sorry Tara, but it sucks." I told her bluntly.

She huffed and crossed her arms, "You guys just don't recognize perfection when you hear it!" She said, stalking out of the door. We laughed at her silliness and followed her, grabbing our bags as we went.

Time to face another day of school and another day with Fang and Iggy.

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><p><strong>And that's a wrap. R&amp;R?<strong>


	6. Chapter 6 Hallucinations

**This chapter has given me a real headache. Let's hope I can finally rewrite it. **

**Disclaimer: Oh hell nawh.**

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><p>"It amazes me that you're lost." I said to Fang as we walked to our class together.<p>

He shrugged, "The school is big."

"But you've been here for how long now? Two weeks? I think you would have learned your way around by now." I said skeptically.

"Looks like I didn't." He said simply.

I huffed, "Fine whatever, let's just hurry, Higgrey will skin my hide if I come in late again." I said, grabbing his wrist and tugging him through the crowded halls.

"How many times have you been late?"

I thought for a moment, pursing my lips, "I think almost every day since the beginning of the year." I said finally, smiling proudly.

"And she's threatening you _now_?" Fang exclaimed.

I scoffed, "nah, my discipline record is miles long. I think Higgrey is married to that detention slip pad." I said in all seriousness. I had been in detention so much for my tardies that I had a special seat in the back.

"I wouldn't be surprised." Fang muttered.

I looked at him, "I know right?" We were silent for the next few minutes as we walked through the halls, avoiding getting shoved around as best as we could. We walked about three steps forward before we were violently shoved to the side by a running jock chasing a tiny kid who was screaming for his mom. Fang and I were pushed against the locker, my arm ended up his chest and my legs tangled in his slightly and his arms had found themselves around my waist.

We looked at each other awkwardly. My head was spinning; I hadn't been this close to Fang since he left the Flock which was such a long time ago. I hadn't realized how much I really missed his warmth and how much I _enjoyed_ his arms around me. It was hard to control myself and _not_ press my lips to his right now like I painfully wanted to do. I felt my cheeks heat up slightly and the tips of Fang's ears turned red.

"Sorry." I muttered, mustering all the willpower I had and trying to detangle myself from Fang.

He looked at me with an intense gaze and said softly, "Don't be." Before leaning down and pressing his lips to mine. I froze up as the familiar feel of Fang's lip against mine came back to me. I brought my hands up to his shoulders to push him away but he pulled me even closer to him and out went any willpower I had left. I let my hands tangle themselves in his hair and responded with the same fervor as he did.

We stood there for a while, just kissing. It was a sweet kiss. It made me remember all those days I spent on the run without him, laying by myself in a tree wishing he would come and lay down next to me, wrap his arms around me and tell me to go to sleep. I remembered how much I missed this feeling, this _sensation._

I felt Fang's hands go up to my hair and begin to play with it. That snapped me back to reality slightly. I wasn't Max. Fang wasn't kissing _me_, he was kissing, he was kissing _Vy_, his new friend who was from an abusive household, not Max, the fearless leader who saved his life countless times before. I wanted to stop the kiss (I really did) but I was too gone. Instead, I found myself wishing I was Max and that there wasn't any secret, that I hadn't left and that everything was alright between.

The halls had long since emptied when e pulled away and looked at me in a dazed state before furrowing his eyebrows. I looked at him strangely, what was the matter? Well you know, other than the fact that he just kissed a girl that he had met only a few weeks ago while he was searching for his best friend who he was supposedly in love with.

"M-Max?" He stuttered. My eyes widened and I looked at my arms which were my natural skin tone. My hair felt longer than Vy's and I could see little strands of blonde hair on my shoulders. I swore under my breath and quickly transformed back to Max when Fang blinked multiple times to make sure he wasn't seeing anything.

I played it innocent, "Max?" I asked in a confused tone.

He blinked again to make sure it was me and not Max, "Sorry." He said before pulling himself away from me. I copied his actions and fixed my hair, which was slightly messed up.

"So . . ." I said awkwardly as I stood beside him. What now? What we going to do? There was no way I could go out with him, with me being _me_ and all. I would feel too guilty plus, that wouldn't be fair to Fang. He would just end up confused and hurt. I couldn't let that happen.

He looked at me with a blank expression, "That never happened." He said, his voice matching his expression; emotionless.

I flinched slightly but nodded, "Agreed."

He raised an eyebrow, "No questions why?" He pried.

I smiled and began to walk away, he followed me, "Curious aren't we? But anyway, I'm guessing you have your reasons and I have mine."

. . .

We had rushed to our next class after that, Mrs. Higgrey gave me a month of detention for being late _again._ I said something sarcastically back as usual, she yelled at me and threatened to give me a referral but I just waved her off and sat down in my seat. We weren't that late apparently, we just missed the first five minutes (We were out there for a long time apparently). I sat down in the empty seat by the window and Fang took the only other empty seat, thankfully on the other side of the room. I don't know what I would have done if it was next to me (I mean how cliché would _that_ be?).

I zoned out for the rest of the class, ignoring my friend's suspicious and questioning looks. Even though the kiss with Fang was _amazing_, I was more concerned about my transformation back to myself. Yes, I had wished that I was Max but that was only if everything else hadn't happened. I didn't want to actually _turn back into myself_. So why did I? It confused me to say the least. I guess I really didn't know everything about this transformation power and that meant I needed to get more answers and who did I know that seems to have all the answers? That's right Jeb. I decided that I needed to see him and as fast as possible.

I planned to sneak out next period and take a visit to the jail facility where he was held, which unfortunately was in Chicago but with my super speed (I had advanced it so that I could travel from California to New York in about fifteen minutes at my fastest) I could get there at an easy ten minutes. But the hard part was getting out of school and seeing Jeb. The school part I could figure out later as I was leaving but getting to see Jeb would need some thinking beforehand.

He wasn't exactly allowed to see visitors because the government was paranoid that they would be rogue iTex survivors who are looking to revive the company or something like that so they wouldn't let just _anyone_ in. As I ran through the possibilities of how to communicate with Jeb, I realized that the only choice I had was to go as Max, his biological daughter and the girl who turned him in. They would surely let me seem than.

I pursed my lips as the bell rang; I guess that's what I'll have to do. I gathered my stuff and made my way to the door. I was about to slip out unnoticed by anyone until Iggy stopped me.

"Hey, what happened to you and Fang?" Iggy asked curiously, "Do you guys have something you want to tell us?" He suggested playfully.

Caught off guard, my face flushed and I stuttered, "What? Me and Fang? Of course not." I scoffed.

Iggy crossed his arms, "Uh huh sure." He said, teasingly.

I crinkled my nose, regaining my composure, "There's nothing to tell Iggy, we just ended up running away from a psychotic chick who thought we were Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie." I said unconvincingly.

"Why don't I believe that?" He pried.

I rubbed the bridge of my nose, "Because you're an idiot, now if you excuse me, I have places to be." I said, shoving my way past him and making way towards the gym. Just as I was about to reach, I turned right instead of walking in and walked down the other hallway. I slipped into the girl's bathroom and looked to make sure there was no one there. After I was sure I was alone, I pried open the window and slipped out, unfurling my wings and closing the window behind me. I looked around and seeing no one outside, I shot up and flew to Chicago.

. . .

I reached Chicago precisely eight minutes and thirty-three seconds later. I landed two miles from the jail facility, folding in my wings and changing back into myself.

"New record, sweet." I muttered to the side before started my jog to the jail. I reached quickly and made my way inside past security. I asked for Jeb and showed them the ID that had appeared in my pocket when I had changed back to myself. They nodded and brought me to a small room that was guarded by four burly security guards. They sat me down at a dull grey table and went to get Jeb.

A few minutes later, he appeared in a bulky orange jumpsuit and his usually neat hair disheveled. He looked exhausted. They sat him down at the table and made sure his cuffs were secure.

Jeb smiled, "Hello Maximum, how are you doing?" He asked politely.

I nodded, "Fine, could you guys give us a minute?" I asked the guards.

One of them shook their heads, "Sorry ma'am, we have our orders." He said briskly.

I rolled my eyes, "I've handled things ten times his size and five times yours, I'll be fine." I said, letting my wings peek out just a little bit. They got the hint and uneasily made their way out the room.

Jeb raised an eyebrow, "I'm guessing this isn't a regular visit is it?" He deduced.

I scoffed, "Would I ever visit out of the blue without a reason?"

"Of course not, what was I thinking?"

"Whatever," I said, leaning forward and folding my hands over the table, "I need some answers and you're going to give them to me." I said sternly.

"And why wouldn't I?"

I leaned back and crossed my arms, "Because you're _you_." I pointed out.

"True, what do you want?" I took a deep breath and told him everything that happened in the past few weeks. He sat there and listening patiently, not interrupting me once.

"So I want to know, why I transformed back." I finished.

"Well that's simple enough, if you wish to transform back subconsciously, you will transform back if there are strong emotions supporting it." He explained.

My shoulders slouched, "Really?" I asked, pouting just a little bit.

He nodded, "Anything else?"

I thought for a minute, "I guess, I didn't remember it until recently but Nudge can tell who last touched an object, right? And my transformation abilities might change my appearance but not my touch. I'm still Max, so if I touch something then I'll leave something behind. How can I cover that up?" I asked.

"As strange as it is, soak your hands in any type of strong perfume once every two weeks."

I raised an eyebrow, "Wonderful, my hands will smell like a bed of flowers," I said dryly before standing up, "Well that's it. Bye Jeb." I said stiffly before making my way out the door.

"Honestly Maximum, I thought you would have cared a bit more about my appearance." He said as the guards filed back in to lead him back.

I stopped and looked over my shoulder, "Maybe I would if things had been different."

. . .

[Fang's POV]

I have officially decreed (Yes decreed) that I am losing my mind. I blame all the time spent trying to lead the Flock.

Why am I losing my mind?

Because I kissed Vy, a girl I just met a few weeks ago while looking for Max, the girl I freaking _love_. Not to mention, I started hallucinating after I kissed Vy. Iggy did say I needed to go see a therapist, but then again the kid is a blind pyromaniac, I really shouldn't be taking mental advice from him.

I know Vy and I agreed to act like the kiss never happened but I can't get the kiss out of my head. And not just because it made me realize I may be losing whatever sanity I had.

I can't help but think that it was really familiar, like I've done it before which makes no sense considering _I just met her a few weeks ago._

My mind was still on The Kiss (As I shall now refer to it as) when I walked out of my previous class. I shoved my hands into my pockets and walked through the halls silently. I was halfway to my class when I saw _her._

She was moving through the crowded halls fast her blonde hair flying behind her as she pushed her way through the crowd. It felt like my feet were nailed to spot as I watched her move, I wanted to move, to shout her name, to do _something_ but my body wouldn't respond. Finally, I was able to lift my feet and I ran towards her. I pushed my way through the crowd roughly, ignoring the protests of everyone as I did so, and made my way to her. But by the time I reached, she was gone. I turned around frantically, searching for her but she had disappeared. I let out a growl before slamming my fist into the nearest locker.

I heard an angry growl and a short girl who looked _very _angry came stomping my way. Whoops that must've been her locker. I shouted 'Sorry' before sprinting away. I ran across the school before finally stopping in front of the strangely empty English wing.

I panted and leaned against a wall. Was the just Max that I saw or was I hallucinating again? No it had to be Max, I was sure of it. It seemed to real to be a hallucination. But what was she doing here? Before I could spend more time thinking about it, I heard someone walking fast down the hall I was in. I looked up and saw Ella running to her next class. I furrowed my eyebrows; maybe she _did_ know something and wasn't tell us. Also, Nudge _did_ say that Max had touched that book recently. I think I needed to have a talk with Ella.

"Hey Ella, wait up!" I called. She paused and looked in my direction. I jogged over to her.

She looked at me desperately, "What do you want, Fang? Not that I don't want to talk but I _really_ need to get to my next class." She said looking over my shoulder anxiously to what I guess was her next classroom.

I crossed my arms, "Do you know where Max is?" I asked bluntly.

That got her attention, her eyes snapped to mine as they widened in shock, "_What?_" She exclaimed.

I repeated myself, "Do you know where Max is?"

She looked at me incredulously, "What kind of question is that? Of course I don't. Now if you excuse me, I have a class to get to." She snapped and tried to push past me. I stopped her.

"Oh no, I think you know more than you're letting on." I said, narrowing my eyes at her.

She studied my expression for a minute before sighing, "Do you realize how ridiculous you're being? I want to know where Max is as much as you do, she's my _sister_ for goodness's sakes!" She exclaimed.

"You don't seem so worried." I observed.

Ella looked like she had been slapped and I knew she wasn't lying (it was either that or she was a really good actress but he didn't want to believe that), "You don't think I'm worried? She's my _sister_; she saved me from being bullied by those jerks in junior high and got shot while doing so. I want her back, too." She said, her lips quivering as a few tears slipped from her eyes.

I felt really guilty for making her cry, what had I been thinking? Of course if she knew something she would have told us. I bit my lip before wrapping my arms around her, letting her silently cry on my shoulder. I had learned from his years as Flock leader that if you did not try to comfort a crying female, you ended up bruised one way or another.

"Do me a favor and find her, please?" Ella said, quietly.

I patted her head awkwardly, "Alright." I promised.

She pulled away from my hug and nodded, "Sorry about that, I- I really should get going. Bye Fang." Ella said shakily before skirting around me and slipping into her next class.

[Ella's POV]

I stepped into my next class, apologizing to the teacher and sitting down in my seat quietly.

Max so owed me for this; that was the best acting I had ever done. Madame Rogers would be so proud (She was my acting coach for the past seven years).

I hadn't expected Fang to hug me though, that was a bit shocking. Max would love to hear that. Fang _hugging_ someone _willingly_, the world must be freaking ending.

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><p><strong>Finally finished this chapter. I hope it's better than the original. I got my mojo back so you can expect more rewritten chapters. And I may or may not be updating this without my beta's knowledge . . . Ssh, no one tell her. Viva if you're reading this . . . Haiiiii –looking extremely guilty-.<strong>

**Reviews are love.**


	7. Chapter 7 A Recap of Everyone's Day

**SEVENTH REWRITTEN CHAPTER FINALLY DONE, WHAT DO YOU SAY ABOUT THAT?**

**Haii guys, I have resurfaced. My urge to write has been reawakened and I have ideas and stuff but my top priorities are to finish whatever shit I left unfinished, so hopefully I'll be finishing things up here soon. I'm still not sure how to end this story, but I'm going to try to come up with something.**

**As for my disappearance, well. Things got really hectic and strenuous around here and I just couldn't handle things well. Now however, things are still hectic but I'm starting to get a handle on everything and the pressure I was dealing with that felt like the sky on my shoulders is still there, but now I can carry it. I'm getting the handle of things now. My emotions are still all over the place, but writing provides a nice distraction. **

**So without further ado…**

**Disclaimer: I own nada!**

**ENJOY! **

In the evening, the Flock sat scattered across the small living room in the hotel. I lounged on the armchair by the window; Iggy and Gazzy were sitting on the couch with their backs on the arm rests and their legs lying on top of each other. Nudge and Angel occupied the area by the small coffee table where our take-out dinner rested in carnage. Iggy mindlessly flipped through the channels while he rubbed his belly while Gazzy offered commentary on the variety of shows that they passed. Angel and Nudge were talking animatedly about some new pop star.

"Fang, guess what!" Angel exclaimed, suddenly breaking away from her conversation with Nudge.

I down at her and replied, "What?"

"Well Nudge met this new girl at school today, who was really shy so Nudge went over to her and talked to her and they became friends!" Angel exclaimed.

"Angel, I could have said it myself!" Nudge whined.

Angel stuck her tongue out at Nudge, "But you didn't so…"

Iggy chuckled, "Hey did you hear, Gina from gym asked me out today." He told me. What is this, Tell Fang about Your Day-Day?

"Yes Iggy, I was there when you told Vy." I deadpanned.

Iggy looked perplexed, "You were? I could have sworn it was just Vy and I." He muttered.

I rolled my eyes, "No I was there too."

Iggy huffed, "Huh, well this just proves my point Fangaroo, you need to talk more. Otherwise before you know, people are just going to be able to walk right through you, you would be so unnoticeable." Iggy joked. I scowled and swiped a straw and wrapper off the table and quickly shot a spitball at him. It nailed him smack in the middle of his forehead.

Iggy's blind eyes widened as he wiped the spitball off of his forehead, "Oh it's on like Donkey Kong." He taunted, before swiping his own straw and readying a spitball. I hopped over and crouched behind my armchair with my straw and wrapped in hand. I prepared the spitball and shot up to spit it only to be nailed in the cheek by Iggy.

I glared before spitting on quickly at him, the spitball landing in his hair, "This took me three hours to do!" Iggy cried.

"Iggy, you got up at six, you barely had time to brush your teeth." I shot at him.

"Everyone's a critic." He said nonchalantly, pretending to casually spit a spitball at me.

Nudge ducked as the spitball flew over her head and cried out in disgust, "Really guys, _spitballs_? That's beyond gross. It's _uber_ disgusting." She said distastefully.

Gazzy raised an eyebrow, "Uber? Who says uber?" He asked.

"Everyone says it!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Uh-huh!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Uh-huh!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Okay, that's _it!_ Come here, you little twerp!" Nudge cried out before lunging towards Gazzy. Gazzy laughed before jumping off the couch and grapping his own straw and shooting a spitball at Nudge. She dodged in time, the spitball landing on the wall. She turned to him and glared, muttering something under her breath and grabbing her own straw. Before any of us could blink, Gazzy was smacked in the face with a spitball.

Nudge smirked triumphantly, "And that's how it's done boys."

XXx

"Hey Fang, when are we going to get out of this dump?"

"Igs, there is room service and a working shower with hot water, soaps and towels that magically replaced when they get over and more than comfortable beds, how on earth is it a dump?"

"It's small."

"Really Iggy?"

"Really Fang, it _is _a nice room I know but we can't live in a hotel room forever. We either have to move on or get an apartment."

"…"

"You know I'm right."

"I know I'll start looking for somewhere else."

xXx

_[Max's POV]_

I casually strolled into my house, my Ray Bans (which I totally did _not_ jack off of some snobby rich dude in California) on my face and my hair tied up into a slick ponytail.

"I'm home!" I called as I slid my Ray Bans off of my face and placed them in my pocket.

"And once again no one cares!" Ella responded immediately from her place on the couch, with her textbooks sprawled out all around her.

I snorted and swung a leg over the back of the couch, plopping down right on top of a green textbook, "Thanks Els, you make me feel loved." I replied, taking the textbook out from underneath my butt.

She nodded, her head buried in her math textbook, "I try." She said with a roll of her shoulders.

I smirked and turned on the TV, flipping through the channels to find any obnoxious cartoon that would kill my brain cells, "So how was your day?" I smoothly asked.

Ella shrugged, "it was alright, I guess. There wasn't anything special about it reall- Wait, oh my god, I have to tell you what happened today," She said, immediately perking up and closing her textbook.

I raised an eyebrow, "What did you do? Who did you kill?" I joked.

She rolled her eyes, "Fang hugged me!"

I let out a snort of disbelief, "You committing murder are more likely."

She glared, "I'm being serious here!" She cried and launched into a long description of what happened.

My mouth was slightly ajar by the time she finished, "Damn, things have changed." I said the melancholy showing in my voice.

Ella's eyes softened, "Max, it's been more than two years; they were bound to change, grow up and mature." She reasoned.

I sighed, "I know, but it's sad, you know? Hearing about how they've changed and wishing I could have been there with them to see them grow but then I remember the only reason I wasn't, was because I was too stubborn." I admitted.

Ella wrapped an arm around my shoulder, "Max, you know there's more to the story than you're letting on. You're being too hard on yourself. Now tell me your day was." She said changing the subject like I desperately wished she would.

I smiled and began to speak, "I talked to Jeb today." I stated simply.

Now it was Ella's turn to be shocked, "You talked to _Jeb_, _willingly?_ _When_?" She asked.

I rubbed the back of my neck sheepishly, "Well I may or may not have skipped gym," I kept talking, not giving her the opportunity to cut in, "Because Fang and I may or may not have kissed-"

She cut me off abruptly, "Whoa whoa, you guys _kissed_? As in lip to lip?" She asked.

I rolled my eyes, "Yes Ella, lip to lip kissing, now as I was saying, we kissed and-"I clarified and began to say before she cut me off again.

"Like, major lip lock with tongue and everything? Or was it sweet and short? Or was it-"She rambled.

"Ella!" I shrieked, "It was just a kiss. _But that's not the point_," I started and she pouted, "We kissed and transformed back into Max but I didn't want to transform back. I did subconsciously but I didn't actually tell myself to transform back, you know? So it was weird and plus, I remembered that Nudge can feel whoever had touched an item last so I had questions." I told her, retelling what had happened.

Ella sat and listened quietly, forgetting to push me for details about the kiss for which I was grateful. The kiss had brought on a lot of unwanted emotions that I've been trying to push down. It made the guilt of leaving bubble back to the surface and all the memories of what happened after I had left. Memories that I really did not want to remember. I would have perfectly fine if those certain memories stayed locked away forever.

It made me miss Fang and the Flock, it made me remember how I felt about them, it made me remember everything that we had as a family and it made the reality of our situation presently, slap me in the face.

So basically, it sucked. Like a lot.

After that, Ella and I talked about the rest of our day went, joking and laughing as we joked around. A while later, the doorbell rang and I went up to get it.

Tara and Sunnah stood on the other side of the door, arguing about something. Oh boy.

I opened the door and smiled, "Hey gu-"But I was cut off _once again_ by their argument.

"I'm telling you Thai food is awful!" Tara stated.

"Well it's better than sushi!" Sunnah fought back.

I rolled my eyes, "Indian good is better than both of those, now are you two going to come in or am I going to slam the door on your faces?" I asked loudly.

They turned to me, after glaring at each other, and stomped inside the house. I rolled my eyes and followed them to kitchen where we got out junk food and made our way back to the couch.

Ella looked up at us as we approached the couch, "Hey Tara, hey Sunnah, how's it going?" She asked.

"Fine." They both mumbled.

Ella raised an eyebrow at me and I shrugged.

She coughed, "Well okay so, Max and Fang kissed today!" She said perkily. I glared at her and she shrugged, mocking my earlier actions.

That immediately made the tension between them disappear, "Oh my god, what? Why? When? Where? Why didn't we find out about this earlier?" They bombarded me with questions. I held my hands up and explained what had happened to them.

"What did you tell Iggy and Fang later on? I'm sure they noticed that you weren't at gym." Sunnah asked.

Ah, that was an interesting experience.

_-Flashback-_

"_Yo Vy, where'd you go last period? Coach was all up everyone's butt, asking where you were." Iggy informed me when I walked into my next class. _

_I shrugged, "I had stuff to do." I said curtly._

_Iggy plopped down in the seat next to mine, "Like what? Commit murder, because if that's what you were up to, you should have called, I'm great at getting rid of evidence." Iggy said seriously._

_I raised my eyebrow, "I'll keep that in mind for the next time I go around murdering people." I joked back._

_Iggy snorted, "But seriously, where were you? The only person more miffed about your disappearance was Fang. He didn't show it but he was all tense and stuff." Iggy explained. I stiffened up at this new information. Fang was upset that I wasn't there? That was bad._

_Right?_

_Oh lord of cheese, this is all too confusing. _

_I played it dumb though, "Like I said, I had stuff to do." I replied. _

_Iggy nudged me, "Come on, tell meeeeee." He said, stretching out the 'e'._

"_I just had some stuff on my mind." I said, placing a hint of truth in there._

"_Like what?" He pushed._

"_What it would feel like to murder someone." I replied nonchalantly as if it were a daily thing. _

_Iggy laughed dryly, "It feels awesome now, tell me, now that you have your answer." _

"_And you would know how?" _

_Iggy shrugged, "That's for me to know and for you to never find out." He said with a mischievous glint in his unseeing eyes. Oh Iggy._

"_I hope you know, when you get arrested for something or another, I'm not going to bail you out." I told him. _

"_Don't change the subject! What happened?" Iggy cried. _

_I huffed, "Why do you want to know so badly? Can't just leave it be?" I shot back at him._

"_Because I'm irritating like that." He stated._

"_Goddamn right, you're irritating." I muttered under breath. I sighed, knowing he wouldn't leave me alone, "My father died on this day, ten years ago. Exactly six months later, my mom started drinking and one drink led to another and another and then she started to get angry, and when she got angry, I never walked away from her without a new bruise." I explained carefully, trying to make my voice and expression show the feelings that my story required. _

_Iggy was silent, "Oh. I'm sorry." He said quietly, wrapping an arm around me._

_I sighed and smirked, "It's alright but I bet you wish you didn't ask now right?" _

_Iggy shook his head, "Nope, not a chance." _

_-End Flashback-_

"You are stubborn, girlie." Sunnah said after I finished telling my story.

I shrugged, "You're just noticing this?"

Tara shoved Sunnah lightly, "Yeah seriously?"

Sunnah glared lightly at us, "Shut up, I was just saying."

xXx

_[Fang's POV]_

"Fangles, Fangaroo, my love, my life, my soul mate-"Iggy cried, sauntering into the bedroom later that night.

"What?" I cut him off, slightly irritated.

Iggy flopped himself down on my bed, next to where I was sitting, Indian style with my laptop on my lap, "What's got your panties into a twist? You've been moody since school." Iggy asked.

"Stuff happens." I replied.

Iggy let out a sigh of frustration, "What is with people today?" He cried out.

I looked at him quizzically, "What?" I asked.

"Nevermind, but what has got your knickers in a twist or is it just your time of month, Fangles?"

I rolled my eyes, "Vy and me kissed today." I told him.

Iggy shot up, "Who you guys _kissed?_" He asked incredulously.

"Yeah."

"Damn."

"Yeah."

"So Max?"

"I don't know."

"Oh okay."

"Yup"

"So… did you find us a place, yet?" Iggy asked, changing the subject.

I nodded, thankful for the subject change. I'm not big on feelings if you hadn't noticed by now, "Yeah, there's this house, its two stories with an attic and a basement. It has three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a kitchen, a living room and a sun room. There's also a lot of space in the front and the back, as well as a pool, "I explained to him.

Iggy smiled, "Sweet, where is it?" He asked.

I smirked, "It just happens to be right next door to the Martinez's."

**You like?**


	8. Chapter 8 Neighbors, Heels & Balls

**New rewritten chappie! Guys, I think I might actually be getting some stuff done. I want to write so I'm writing! I have no new ideas though, so I'm sticking to rewriting old chapters for now. Might as well get it out of the way.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing!**

* * *

><p><em>Earlier That Night<em>

_[Fang's POV]_

With a final click of my mouse, I sat back, crossing my arms and smirking victoriously.

"Igs, I did it!" I called out to that blind pyro who was absent-mindedly tossing a ball up into the air on my bed.

"Fang, you've been in the same room as me for the last three hours, I surely would've heard you, enhanced hearing or not, if you had done _that_." Iggy replied monotonously.

I rolled my eyes and laughed dryly, "Hilarious Igs, really I'm dying." I deadpanned.

He sat up and grinned, "Thanks, now really though? What'd you do? Kill someone?" He asked.

I smirked, "Nope, I bought us that house _and_ managed to pull some strings so that it'd be ready to move into by tomorrow morning," I said proudly. It wasn't easy, it involved much forgery on Nudge's part and avoiding tricky questions and quite some money, but thanks to Max Ride card, we were all set.

"By _tomorrow morning?_ How did you manage to pull that off?" He asked incredulously.

"I would tell but then I'd have to kill you," I replied easily.

Iggy laughed, "You can't kill me, you're dying remember?" He joked.

I threw a pad of paper at him, "That was truly awful, Iggy not even remotely funny." I told him. Really it wasn't.

….

_[Max/Vy's POV]_

I tossed and turned in my bed that night. In a few minutes, the sheets were tangled around me so tightly that I felt like a caterpillar in a cocoon except, I would probably emerge not as a butterfly but more like a drunk raccoon. I sighed in annoyance and set out to untangle myself from the constricting sheets. I kicked my legs around and twisted around until finally, the sheets gave out and I lay, sprawled out on my bed with my sheets on the ground.

Sleep was not coming to me easily tonight; my mind was spinning with all the thoughts that were screaming in my mind. I couldn't make them shut up. Dammit, they were very annoying. I stood up abruptly and began to pace around my room. When pacing soon proved to be insufficient, I threw on a jacket and threw open my window. I stepped out onto the ledge and jumped down. Safe to say, my landing could have been more graceful.

I picked myself off of the ground and dusted the grass off of my arms and sprinted around to the forest that was around the corner. I ran into the forest and ignored the branches tearing my skin until I was at least a good three miles into the forest. My wings unfolded behind me and I shot up into the air, enjoying the feeling of the air rushing past me. I was ignoring of course, the strain on my wings from being used so abruptly after so long. Once I was up a few hundred feet in the air, I leveled out and began to leisurely flap my wings, letting my thoughts consume me.

It's something about two in the morning, when you're not on the run, constantly alert to your surroundings, when you're fairly certain that the chance of getting maimed by Erasers or dragged by your hair back to the School that your mind takes a deep breath and the dam bursts open and all you feel just pours out.

I missed the Flock. Terribly. I actually physically ached when I thought of them. I missed all of them. I needed them. They were my family, my first family, the family that I raised and that raised me. We were more than a family, we just were The Flock. And I left them.

I angled myself so that I was descending. I felt the air whippings through my hair as I landed on a cliff by the mountains that held the cave. I folded my wings in and began my trek to the cave.

I felt like I did on those nights when I was on the run, where my new companions were sleeping lightly besides me and I was wide awake like a hawk. I would think about the Flock. I had wondered how they were. I had wondered if Iggy still made those perverted jokes of his and if Gazzy still asked what they meant or if someone had finally explained them to him. I had wondered if Angel was still trying to take over the Flock or if she returned to her normal self. I had wondered if she missed me. I had wondered if Nudge still chattered about the most random things or if she had grown out of that.

I had wondered a lot about Fang. More than I cared to admit. I had wondered how he was doing, if he blamed himself. Was he leading the Flock? Did he want to find me?

I felt that familiar feelings of longing, loss and guilt wash over me again. It was startling how this felt exactly like it did before.

I reached the cave and sat on the ledge, letting my feet dangle.

Seeing them again, having them so close to finding out my secret, it was terrifying me and exciting me all at the same time. Part of me wanted them to find out so things could move along but the other half wanted them to leave so that I didn't have to face my actions.

I sighed, standing up and jumping back into the sky, flying faster than I had in a long time in attempt to clear my mind.

….

I touched down in the forest an hour or two after the sun peaked out from above the horizon. I transformed just in case someone was out walking and began to make my way back home.

My hands were shoved in the pockets in my pajamas (which is why Mom has so much trouble getting me to change my pajamas, I effing love these pajamas) and my hair was tied up in a messy ponytail. The street was quiet for the most part except for some birds and I think I could hear some voices down the road.

By the time I arrived on my street, I could see a large van and a myriad of people standing on the lawn next to my house. I instantly tensed and began to think of all the possibilities.

Mom said that the house next door was for sale but she didn't thing anyone would buy it so soon. As I walked closer, I felt my body freeze.

Outside the house next door was the Flock.

Speak of the devils.

….

_[Fang's POV]_

I smirked as Vy's gaping face came into view. I hadn't expected her to be up this early but here she was, still dressed in her pajamas, gaping at us.

"You're going to catch flies." I told her walking up to her.

She shut her mouth and stuttered, "Wha- What? _What_?" She sputtered out, looking petrified and a bit terrified.

I raised an eyebrow, "Try not to contain your happiness, we're moving in here." I told her.

"_You're moving in?_ As in _here?_ _Next door?_" She squeaked. My brow furrowed, she was acting strange. I mean, I didn't think she was going to jump up and down in happiness but looking like she was about to have a panic attack wasn't what I expected either.

Before I could question her, Iggy's voice called out, "Is that our lovely Vy I hear? Come to give us a housewarming gift? Why you shouldn't have, Vy! Just your lovely presence is gift enough," Iggy drawled dramatically.

Vy didn't even seem affected by Iggy's weirdness, "_Next door_?" She once again repeated.

I nodded slowly, "Yes Vy, _next door_. Are you sure you're feeling alright?" I asked curiously.

That seemed to snap her out of whatever it was she was going through as she shook her head and began to make her way back to her house, "Yeah uh, I'm fine, I'm just going to go uh, change. Bye!" She shouted before turning around and sprinting into her house.

Iggy came up to me and slung his arm around my shoulders, "Is it just me or did Vy sound more weird than usual?" He asked.

I didn't even bother shaking his arm off, "Yeah she did." What was up with her? I mean it's not like I care or anything, what with you know, saving Max and all.

….

_[Max/Vy POV]_

I burst into my house and ran upstairs. To say I was freaking out was an understatement. The Flock was moving in _next door_? This was a recipe for disaster, one that was meant for me to make because if I made it, it would blow up in my face anyway!

I threw open the door to Ella's room and jumped on her bed, "Ella, wake up _right now!_ I'm _freaking out!_" I yelled at her, shaking her awake.

"What the hell? Max get off'a me!" Ella cried sleepily, prying my hands off of her shoulders and pushing me away.

"Ella, this is no time for sleeping, _THE FLOCK'S MOVED IN NEXT DOOR!"_ I all but screamed. I'm pretty sure Iggy might have heard me.

Ella grumbled and turned around in her bed, "I'm sure it's nothing, just a joke." She mumbled.

I scowled, "Ella, they had their _stuff!_ They had clothes and a large moving van!" I shouted. Wait, why would they have a large moving van? They don't have any furniture at least, I'm almost positive they don't.

Ella seemed to catch onto my train of thought and said, "Why would they have a moving van if they're always moving around _through the air_, I might add?" She pointed out, slowly beginning to wake up.

"I don't know! But the point is, they're next door Ella! _Next door_!" I cried out again, letting my head fall into my hands.

She sat up straight and ran a hand through her bedhead, "And why exactly is that a _bad _thing, Max? Maybe it's a sign that you should finally tell them the truth." She said.

I frowned, "But I- I don't think I _can_ tell them," I admitted to her.

She furrowed her eyebrows, "And why not, missy?" She asked.

"Because I don't know, it's been so long and I miss them like hell but can I really face them after being away for so long? After ditching them when they needed me most?" I spilled to her.

Ella snorted, "You can and you will, Max. You're one of the strongest people I know and you and The Flock together are like, one of the world's constants. They just have to be or like, total world destruction. But if you're not ready yet, fine, don't tell them now. Just don't wait too long, alright?" She said softly to me.

I looked up at her, "When did you get so wise?" I joked.

Ella flipped her hair jokingly, "Babe, I was always this wise, just not usually this early in the morning. What _are_ you doing up so early anyway? You _hate_ mornings." She asked, finally looking at her bedside clock.

"I just came back from a fly." I told her blankly.

"Did you get _any_ sleep last night?" She inquired.

I lay back down on her bed, place my feet on her pillow, "Nah Ella, sleep is too mainstream for me."

She rolled her eyes and hopped out of bed, "Max, get your feet off of my pillow. My head happens to sleep there every night. I don't want to smell your stinky feet." She said, walking over to her dresser and beginning to brush her hair.

I curled up into a ball and rolled onto my side, "My feet are gorgeous, Els. You're just jealous." I joked.

She snorted again, "Of what? You're size eight feet to my size six? I don't think so." She retorted.

I stuck my tongue out at her, "Shut up nerd, what are we going to do now?" I asked her.

She looked at me from over her shoulder, "I don't know, I guess you just have to look like Vy more often and just be more careful in general. There's not much you can do." She advised.

I sighed, I couldn't even be myself in my own house now. Fantastic. This secret is turning out to be a lot more work and trouble than it was in the beginning. But now the question in, am I ready to let the cat out of the bag yet?

xXx

I walked out of the house a few hours later. I had already told Mom the news and she just smiled sympathetically before returning her attention to the breakfast that was cooking on the stove.

I had changed out of my pajamas and into a pair of boot cut (I think that's what Ella called them) jeans, a black tank top and a dark green denim vest. My now black hair was pulled into a messy ponytail and Ella had insisted that I wear earrings so I was wearing a pair of square pyramid studs and small white studs in my second hole (which Ella blackmailed me into getting).

She was about to attack me with make-up when I profoundly refused and threatened her with death via rubber chicken. She just put her hands on her hips and demanded me to sit down in that 'Mess-With-Me-And-Being-Prodded-With-Needles-And-A ttacked-By-Erasers-Will-Be-The-Least-Scary-Thing-Y ou've-Faced' voice of hers. It was quite convincing to say the least.

She thankfully went easy on me and just put some mascara and liner on.

I ate my yummy breakfast, courtesy of mom and called up Tara and Sunnah. They grumbled and said they'd come over in a few hours when the sky wasn't still turning blue.

I walked over to the Flock's new house (oh boy) and saw that they had all gone inside. I bit my lip nervously as I considered what to do. Should I go and knock on the door or should I run the other way and go to the gas station or something?

The door opened before I could decide and Angel came flying (not literally) at me, "Hi Vy! We moved in next door, isn't that cool?" She asked, wrapping her arms around my midsection.

I smiled and patted her head of blond curls, "Yeah Ange, it's the coolest." I said warmly. She was still my baby.

"Why don't you come in Vy? Everyone is still sorting things around, do you mind helping?" Angel asked.

I shook my head, "I don't mind." I mind. Very much. I was going into _their house_ that was _next door_. When I went in, it would be like confirming that this was actually happening. But I had to say yes, I already freaked on Fang this morning, if I freak again it'll look definitely suspicious.

Angel smiled and led me into the demon house, smiling happily while I was imagining the house burning down and the Flock having to move _not here_. When a determined look flashed across Angel's face for a moment, I hastily slammed up my mental walls and defenses, making it seem that I was happy that they were moving in. She didn't look satisfied but she let it go.

For now.

xXx

An hour later, the Flock and I were chilling in their living room, drinking lemonade. Apparently, the house was already furnished so all they had to do was move some stuff around. Iggy had said that they were going to go shopping for personal furniture tomorrow and may or may not have mumbled that he needs something for his bombs. I tried my best not to face palm right then and there.

Gazzy and Iggy were sprawled out on the ground, panting heavily, "I don't remember couches being so _heavy_," Gazzy moaned.

"It's so _hot_," Iggy complained.

Gazzy's head rolled to the side, "Why is it so _hot_? Why is everything so _heavy_?" He continued.

Iggy replied, "I don't think I've worked this hard _ever_."

Gazzy nodded, "I know, Angel water us!" He called to his sister.

She snorted, "No way Gaz, get it yourself. You guys moved _one_ couch and a chair." She responded, taking a sip of her lemonade.

Gazzy huffed and began to get up, "It was a heavy couch!" He whined.

Nudge rolled her eyes, "You know, I was thinking of dying part of my hair blond again like I did in New York," She looked like she was going to say more about New York but then realized I was there so she moved on, "It looked really cool, you know? Maybe this time, I could also get a pink streak! Or a red streak like Vy's! I just love the red in your hair, Vy! It's really cute! Where did you get the idea for it? I haven't seen anyone with a single red streak in their hair. I mean Demi Lovato dyed the tips of her hair blue and her actual hair blonde but I don't think that's really similar-"Fang groaned and put his hand over her mouth.

"No talking, too hot." He mumbled. I didn't blame him; he looked like he was drowning in sweat. It wasn't very attractive.

I raised my eyebrows, having lived here for a while now, I was used to the Arizona heat by now, "its Arizona guys, what else did you expect?"

"_Not. This._" Iggy moaned from his spot on the ground.

I chuckled, "Suck it up you guys, the AC's on full blast, how much colder do you want it to be?" I asked them, feeling at ease.

Iggy looked at me, his sightless blue eyes finding mine without fail, "I'm considering putting ice in my pants." He told me. His remark earned a collective groan from everyone in the Flock except from Gazzy who agreed.

"Iggy, that's gross and _totally_ unnecessary!" Nudge said, crinkling her nose. It was probably one of the shortest things I've ever heard her say. Iggy just stuck his tongue out and her which she rolled her eyes to.

We settled into a comfortable (as comfortable as hot and sticky could be) silence with everyone trying to stay cool. The silence was interrupted by my phone ringing.

After I hung up, I put my phone back in my pocket and stood up, "Sorry guys, I got to go Mom is calling." I said. They nodded and mumbled their goodbyes, Fang was the only one who stood up and walked me to the door.

"So, I'll see you later?" He asked when I was standing on the front step.

I bit the inside of my cheek, the warm feeling of being home that I had when I was inside with the Flock was disappearing and the reality of my situation was settling down on me again, "Yeah, I guess you will, neighbor." I said lightly to him, before hightailing it out of there before he could say anything else.

I ran into the house and slammed the door shut. I let out a deep breath and walked over to the window in the living room. I looked out and I saw Fang still standing there, his mouth slightly open and a small, confused expression on his face. His hair was all sweaty, as was the rest of him, but he still looked alright. With a pang, I realized that this was most likely, not going to end well.

xXx

A few minutes later, I walked into Mom's study where she was sitting at her desk, filling out some paperwork.

I cleared my throat and she looked up, slightly startled, "Oh hello Max, sit down. I wanted to talk to you about something." She said. I sat down in the chair opposite her.

"What's up?" I asked.

She put her pen down, "I was thinking that maybe we should throw a party for the Flock to welcome them to the neighborhood."

Mamma say what now?

* * *

><p><strong>Tada! New chappie! Haha! You like? I changed her outfit because it wasn't very Max like. I mean honestly, heels? What in the world was I thinking? Max would <strong>_**never**_ **wear heels. I also took out Sunnah and Tara so that you could see more interaction between the Flock. **

**So do you like the new insight on how Max feels about the Flock? Tell me in a review!**

**Also, I made an ! Everyone seems to be making them so I decided, why the hell not? Ask me stuff about my stories and updates and reviews and pester me at ask . fm /theregoesmaryam/. Seriously, I want to bothered. GO BOTHER ME NOW!**

**And leave a review or too pwease?**


	9. Chapter 9 Getting Ready

****************** YO PEOPLE. FROM THIS POINT ON TO LIKE CHAPTER 14 IS NOT EDITED. THIS IS THE ORIGINAL WORK BEFORE I GO OVER AND EDIT IT TO MAKE IT BETTER. SO IF IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE AND SUCKS IT'S BECAUSE I DIDN'T EDIT IT YET***********************

**Heyy, I'm back still pissed at you guys but I really want to write! And yes! Two chapters in one day! Woohoo!**

**Me: I'm back!**

**Max: Oh great… I thought she would finally leave us alone.**

**Me: Nope I could never do that to you guys!**

**Max: Someone help me!**

**Fang and Iggy: And us, too!**

**Me: Ranirose272 doesn't own anything except some really hideous make-up! –Looks evilly at Max, Fang and Iggy-**

**Iggy: gulp.**

Max's POV

"You can't be serious mom!" I shouted. Parties lasted late into the night, late into night equals drowsiness, drowsiness equals sleep, sleep equals Max! And we can't have max asleep in the house while the Flock was here, they might see me!

"Max, I'm serious. They are new to the neighborhood and I think it would be nice to meet some of the people who live on the street." My mom said, sipping her coffee.

"Yeah, but what if people start asking for their parents?" I asked trying to come up with any reason not to have this party.

"We'll say they couldn't make it. They had to finish up with the moving." My mom replied. Darn, she's good.

"But- but… what if I fall asleep or I slip on something and get knocked out? I'll transform. And if I transform it will be not only in front of the Flock, but also the whole neighborhood!" I cried.

"Max honey, you'll be fine. Now go over and invite the flock. It's going to be tonight at six." My mom said.

"It's tonight?" I shouted I was seriously freaking out.

"Yes honey and also go tell Ella, Sunnah and Tara. I need them to be here." My mom said, putting her coffee cup in the sink. I simply nodded and walked out. I was too freaked out to do anything.

I walked up to Ella and Iggy, where they were shamelessly flirting with each other. Oh Ella…

"Ella, mom wanted me to tell you we're having a party tonight to welcome Fang and everyone to the neighborhood." I said grumpily.

"Well, I take it you're not so happy about it." Iggy said, smiling.

"No I'm not." I replied back curtly.

"Oh my god really? Then there's so much that has to be done! Max can I borrow one of your dresses?" Ella said. I looked at her wide-eyed. She just said my goddamn name! Ella, I will kill you!

"God, why is everyone confusing me with Max? I am Violet! Max is Iggy's twin! Right Iggy?" I said, while glaring at Ella.

"Oh yeah sorry, but anyway can I?" Ella asked, oh she is so in trouble.

'Yeah sure whatever, Iggy, can you go tell the rest of you siblings and your parents? I need to go make sure Ella doesn't take the dress I'm going to wear." I said and walked off. Ella had already left squealing when I said she could us one of my dresses and so as soon as I entered the house I yelled, "Ella, you are going to deader than Christopher Columbus by the time I'm done with you!"

I heard her yelp somewhere upstairs and I smirked. I ran up the stairs and ran into my room. I saw my closet open and I saw a dress move. Oh Ella, you're going to have to do better than that. I crept up to my closet and grabbed the moving dress.

"AAIIIEEE!" I heard Ella scream as I grabbed her and tickled her mercilessly. "Max, stop, oh god, please stop! I'm about to pee!" She screeched and I kept tickling her.

'Okay okay, I'm sorry! Stop tickling me!" She squealed and I kept tickling her.

"Max- stop-please- my- stomach- hurts." Ella said between breaths. I sighed and got off of her. I held out my hand and helped her up. Now comes the yelling.

'Now what were you thinking?" I screamed at her and she cringed. I really hated yelling at her, but she almost blew my cover! "They could've figured it out!"

"Look Max, I'm really really _really_ sorry. But it was just once, I won't do it again I promise! I was just excited about the party!" Ella said, pouting. I sighed; I couldn't stay mad at her.

'Fine, now which one of my dresses are you going to wear?" I asked and she hugged me. "Yeah yeah I'm amazing now pick one." I said, pulling her off of me.

"Which one are you going to wear?" She asked and I got up and showed her the one I had chosen in my mind. She nodded fiercely and said, "You have to wear that!" I laughed and went to choose hers.

I had a lot of dresses, I know me having a lot of dresses? But I had to because mo went to a lot of fancy dinners because of her work and often dragged Ella and me along. Ella chose a simple blue that I'm not going to describe now because I want to keep it a secret.

"This one." She said and I nodded in approval.

"Okay now let's call Tara and Sunnah and start getting the house ready!" Ella said and I laughed in agreement. We called Tara and Sunnah, seeing as they went home a while ago, and started cleaning up. Mom had to do some work at the clinic and had left a while ago.

Tara and Sunnah arrived a few minutes later with huge smiles on their faces. "Max, can we borrow some dresses?" They asked. Geez, don't they have any of their own clothes?

"Don't you guys have your own clothes?" I asked.

"Yeah, but yours are cuter!" Sunnah said.

"Fine in this case flattery works. Go ahead." I said, gesturing to my room and they ran up. After a while they came down, have chosen their outfits.

"Okay, Tara you vacuum, Ella you get the snacks, Sunnah you get the silverware and I'll polish and dust." I ordered and we set off to do our jobs.

"Wait! We need music!" Sunnah said and we smiled. Sunnah plugged her IPod into the stereo and How You Love Me Now by Hey Monday was ending. After that Dirty Little Secret by All-American Rejects started playing and we started working.

I had finished dusting the living room by the time Edge of Glory by Lady Gaga had started and Tara had finished vacuuming the family room by the time Come on Get Higher by Matt Nathason started. My mom came home when Hit the Lights by Selena Gomez started and we finished cleaning the whole house by the time Big Girls Don't Cry by Fergie came on. Yeah, Sunnah had a weird collection on her IPod. (AN: LOL, I have all those songs on my IPod!)

"Okay girls the house is all set, so go get ready!" My mom said and we rushed upstairs. We changed into our dresses and put on make-up for each other. Yeah, I put on make-up for Sunnah; you got a problem with that? I wasn't half-bad if I do say so myself.

Now onto what we were wearing.

I had on a blue halter dress with a nude colored belt, suede heels, angel wings earrings necklace and earrings, chucky gold bracelet, silver eye shadow, mascara, and light pink lipstick. My hair was up in a bun.

Ella had on a blue dress with a bow on the neckline, black heels, blue bead earrings and necklace and another chunky bracelet. She had on light pink lip gloss, blush and eye shadow and her hair was up in half-up, half-down do.

Sunnah wore a black dress with a white belt, black heels, black necklace and earrings, studded bracelets, pink lip gloss and some mascara. Her hair was up in a long ponytail.

Tara was the only one of us to wear a floor length dress. Hers was a deep pink with one full strap and a skinny one. She had on a black belt, earrings and black necklace. She also had on some lip gloss, eyeliner and mascara and also some pink eye shadow. She had on some black heels.

(AN: Link to their outfits on profile)

We looked amazing.

We grinned at each other and walked down the stairs together just as the first guests arrived.

Let the party begin.

**Yeah, I know it was short and a filler but too bad! I'm not getting any reviews from you guys! I'm putting up a Review Meter. Pretend there's a meter there. So I need at least ten reviews for the meter to fill up and then I will update again. And I may have the chapter already typed up but I won't post it until I get my ten reviews! RnR? The review part is compulsory.**

******************** YO PEOPLE. FROM THIS POINT ON TO LIKE CHAPTER 14 IS NOT EDITED. THIS IS THE ORIGINAL WORK BEFORE I GO OVER AND EDIT IT TO MAKE IT BETTER. SO IF IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE AND SUCKS IT'S BECAUSE I DIDN'T EDIT IT YET*************************


	10. Chapter 10 The Party Part I

**Heyy, let's get started. And I'm still upset, but not as much! I got my ten reviews! And yes I'm still upset, but sorry, I can hold a grude, probably by the end of this chapter it should be over. Look at the author's note at the bottom to see how many reviews I want this time!**

**Me: Max, guess what!**

**Max: -bored- What?**

**Me: I got more bacon!**

**Max: Bacon!**

**Fang & Iggy: Bacon?**

**Me: -screams- Where the hell did you come from?**

**Fang: Upstairs**

**Me: You didn't see the body right?**

**Iggy: What body?**

**Me: -quickly- Nothing! Here have some bacon! I don't own anything!**

Fang's POV

"Iggy, hurry up and get down here! We're going to be late! Even Nudge is ready!" I called up the stairs. I really didn't want to know what he was doing up there.

"Okay I'm coming! Don't get your knickers in a twist!" Iggy called back in a British accent.

"And you're not British either!" I called back.

"Aw, you take the fun out of everything!" Iggy said, finally coming down.

"Yes I'm a fu-sucker now come on, we have to go! The party started half an hour ago and we're the guests of honor!" I said rapidly. I quickly looked over everyone to see if they were dressed appropriately (not that kind of inappropriate, you know like dresses and not jeans?).

Nudge wore a simple pink half-sleeve dress that stopped right above the knees and had a black belt by the waist. Her dark brown hair was slightly wavy and had a black headband in the front. She wore hoop earrings, a heart necklace, a twisted bracelet, and black flats. She wore pink lip gloss, a tiny bit of mascara and some think eye-liner.

Angel wore a black dress that was covered in purple flowers and some black flats with a bow on it. She had a on a purple chunky bracelet, purple rose earrings and a purple rose necklace that was hung from a thick string. And I think she put on some chap stick, I'm not sure though. Her hair was mostly down, except for a small bun on the top of her head.

Gazzy wore a multi-colored dress shirt, some beige pants, his navy blue high-top converse and a black and grey striped tie.

I wore a black monkey suit, a white shirt (not so happy about that…) and a navy blue tie with polka dots on it. I had on black pants (duh…) and my high-top converse. My hair was the same as it was the last time I went to a fancy party… like… thing… combed… slightly… moving on…

Iggy wore a white monkey suit, a blue shirt, and a blue striped tie. He also had on pants (again why would we NOT be wearing pants?) and a similar pair of high-top converse. His hair was slightly spiky.

(Links to Outfits on Profile)

"Okay, let's go." I said and everyone cheered. I rolled my eyes; I have such a weird family. My lip twitched up and we headed out. We still had a lot of work to do on the house. Nudge's room, half of Iggy's room and all of my room still needed to be painted. We had to re-do the kitchen and three of the five bathrooms. We had to buy some TV's, cookware, dishwasher, dryer, washer, and some more couches. At the hotel I had bought three couches, two dressers, a desk and some other crap to make it look normal.

I also had to buy beds for most of us; we needed dressers, mirrors, desks, tables, chairs, etc. We also had to fix up the lighting and the basement and the porch. Hopefully, the Max Ride card would have enough to pay for all of it.

_It will, it has over fifteen million dollars in it._ My voice said. Aw damn, it's back…

_Yes, I'm back. Sorry, I had work to do. Now, catch me up, what's going on in your crazy life?_ My voice asked. I sighed and quickly replayed everything that had happened in the past few weeks to Dolly.

_Hey, I told not to call me Dolly!_ My voice said, irritated.

**Well boo-hoo, I don't care.** I shot back.

_Well, someone's snarky._ It sniped.

**Fine what should I call you?** I asked.

_Joey,_ it replied. Well, great it could be either female or male.

**Well fine Joey, so that's what happened now stop talking so I can concentrate on the party!** I shouted.

_Fine, but I'll be back when it's over._ Joey said and he slipped out of my mind. Thank god.

We walked over to the Martinez's and rang the doorbell. Vy opened the door and smiled. Wow, she looked gorgeous. She wore a deep blue dress with a woven belt across her middle. She had on suede heels, a chunky gold bracelet, gold wing earrings, a silver winged necklace, light silver eye shadow, and light pink lip stick. Her hair was up in a bun and her cheeks were rosy from the excitement of the party.

"Hi guys, you're late but whatever come on it! People are starting to worry about you guys. Where are your parents?" Vy asked, smiling.

"They couldn't come; they had to do some stuff for the house." Nudge said. Vy nodded in understanding and let us in.

"Vy, they ran out of salsa!" I head Ella call from the kitchen. She came running and saw us. I took in what she was wearing. She looked pretty but not as nice as Vy. She wore a light blue dress that had a bow on the neckline and some black heels. She had on turquoise circle earrings and a heavily (AN: Lol, I blanked out there, I was like how do you spell 'heavy'? But I'm good now!) beaded blue necklace. She wore a gold bracelet with mismatched gems on it, lip gloss, pink eye shadow and blush. Her hair was in a half-up, half-down kind of look.

"Okay, I'll be there. You guys… go mingle and if I see you in a corner I swear to God, you'll be dead." Vy threatened and went to fix the salsa situation.

"Stupid blind guy can't see anything." Iggy muttered and Angel sent him a telepathic picture of what they looked like.

"Pretty…" Iggy said he was practically drooling over who I hoped was Ella. If it was Vy, that would be weird.

"Dude, stop drooling." Gazzy said, nudging him. Iggy snapped out of it and fixed his tie. Nudge and I rolled our eyes and Angel giggled.

"Well you heard the boss, let's go mingle!" Iggy said and we gulped and headed into the crowd.

Max's POV

"Vy, there's a spill in the living room!"

"Vy, we need iced tea in the dining room!"

"Vy, we're out of salad!"

I was freaking out, there was so much that needed to be done and I could barely keep up. My mom was whisked away by some big-shot vet dude and couldn't help and shot me an apologetic look as she was tugged away. So I was in charge. I wouldn't be surprised if by the end of the day, I was bald.

These people were so damn needy! One woman even complained that her croutons didn't have enough goddamn pepper on them! Get your own pepper lady, right next to the salt! I tried my best to keep my calm, happy composure but I was about ready to scream my head off. Plus, add the fact that if I fall unconscious my cover's blown. Both mutant freak and Max covers.

I am so screwed.

I rushed over and put in some more salsa in the salsa bowl. Tara came over and I gave her the iced tea pitcher.

"Thanks!" She called as she went off. Yeah, instead of mingling we were the waitresses. Well, at least it saved us the awkward conversations. I ran down to the basement and grabbed the extra salad and ran up. I thrust the salad at Sunnah who was waiting for it. She nodded and went off to the salad.

"You need any help?" A voice said in my ear as I was getting the cleaner from the cabinet. I screamed and jumped. It was Fang.

"Goddamn it Fang you scared me but that's not important right now. I don't care if you're the goddamn president I need help. Okay so here's what you do. First, put this on." I ordered, handing him a black apron. He looked at it skeptically and I ushered for him to quickly put it on and so he did. "Okay next, the water jug needs filling and can you get some more Pepsi from downstairs? The basement is down the hall, third door on your left! Thanks Fang!" I shouted as I hurried to the spill. I'm sure he was pretty flabbergasted by the whole deal but whatever. I needed some goddamn help.

I quickly cleaned up the spill and ran back to the kitchen I saw that the water jug was already filled and the salad was re-stocked. There was also an empty iced tea jug that begged for more. Fang appeared and set the bottle down.

"Thanks Fang, sorry for the suddenness. I need you to do more things okay?" I said. He nodded and I gave him a list of orders. He nodded and went off to do them. God bless that boy. I filled the iced tea jug and gave it to Tara, when I found her.

"Vy honey, you're working too hard, take a break, talk to some people." My mom said, coming up to me.

"Thanks, oh and Fang's helping, too!" I shouted as I headed to the nearest empty couch and flopped down. God, I was tired.

"Hi, I'm Cameron, I just moved here and this party is being held in my honor." An arrogant voice said from above. I looked up and saw a fairly good-looking guy. He had brown hair, kind of dead green eyes, a round chin, pale skin, a few freckles, and a high cheekbone. He was smirking and looking down at me. "And who might you be?" He asked, holding his hand out.

"Violet Martinez, daughter of the woman who's throwing this party, which is certainly not in your honor." I scoffed and sat back.

"Of course it is, it's being held for the new neighbors and I just moved in last week. Now do you want to dance? I am really good-looking and a pretty lady like you shouldn't be alone." Cameron said. Wow, he was full of himself.

"Sorry, I can't." I said and stood up, ready to leave this certain area.

"Oh come on, one dance couldn't hurt." He insisted.

"Yes it would." I said and was about to leave, but he blocked my way.

"Sorry, you can't leave until I get a steamy kiss from your pretty lips." He said, smirking. I raised an eyebrow. Who the hell did this guy think he is?

"I can't, I have a boyfriend." I lied, great now I had to find a fake boyfriend. I saw Fang and sent him a look that said, 'Get over here and help me!' He understood and came to stand by me. Cameron was too busy looking at my… parts to notice. I looked at Fang and mouthed, 'You're my boyfriend' He raised an eyebrow and I pointed to Cameron He laughed and nodded.

"Can I help you?" Fang said gruffly. Cameron turned around and studied Fang.

"Who are you?" Cameron asked.

"Her boyfriend, now leave her alone." Fang ordered,

Cameron just laughed and said, "Yeah right sure."

"Fang, this guy is creeping me out." I said, pouting. I could tell he was amused but kept up his act.

"You heard the girl, you freak her out, leave her alone." Fang said, nodding in my direction.

"What I don't understand is why a pretty girl had an ugly boyfriend." Cameron said. Oh no he didn't. Even if I'm Vy, only an idiot could see that Fang was better looking than this dork. Sure he wasn't the hottest in our school, but he had Cameron way beat.

"Excuse me, insulting my boyfriend isn't getting you anywhere closer to that kiss." I said side-stepping him and standing next to Fang. I crossed my arms and looked at him.

"And I'm supposed to believe that you guys are dating? This lame-ass couldn't even get an eighth grader to like him." Cameron sneered. Oh, I was pissed and I could tell Fang was too by his tense posture.

"Look dude, I don't know who the hell you are, but back off before you get hurt." Fang said darkly.

"Yeah not happening until Violet here gives me a steamy kiss." Cameron said, looking hungrily at me. I glared at him and shot him the bird. "Ooh feisty." Cameron said, rubbing his hands together. Okay so at this point I was so pissed that I can't really be held responsible for my actions so what I did next was just my pissed off self.

I grabbed Fang's shirt collar and pulled him towards me and crashed my lips to his. Yup, I kissed Fang.

Again I'm so screwed.

I kissed him with all I had and after getting over the shock, Fang kissed back. I let go of his shirt collar and wrapped my hands around his neck and he wrapped his hands around my waist. The goddamn fireworks in my stomach started again and I was feeling all fluttery. And all the while I was struggling to think, I want to be Vy, I want to be Vy.

"Okay fine, I'll back off! But watch out, I always get what I want." Cameron said and with that threat let hanging in the air, he left. We parted and looked at each other.

"Well, I say that went well." I said, letting go of Fang and he did the same.

"Yup, really well." He said smirking. I glared at him and smacked his arm, but inside I was melting, before I could control my damn emotions but now I just wanted to grab him and kiss him again. Argh, this is not good. Because you see, when Fang smirks it's really really _really_ hot. That's the difference between him and Cameron; Fang has the whole gorgeous factor while Cameron has the whole puke factor.

Even Alice had a tiny crush on Fang! And she's the school's slut!

"Shut up." I muttered and Fang laughed.

"We should do that more often." Fang joked.

"Maybe we should." I joked back. And I glared at him and he glared back. Somewhere along in our glaring, we turned from joking to dead serious.

"Yeah, maybe we should." Fang said and he kissed me again. This time, I let myself melt most of the way, but just kept a little of myself conscious of my thoughts so I wouldn't transform back. We made out for some time, totally pressed up against each other when someone cleared their throat.

We broke apart and saw Tara standing in front of us, pissed off. Whoops, I wonder how long ago my break ended.

"Vy, please stop making out with Fang and get your ass in the kitchen!" Tara said, glaring at me.

"Okay sorry, I'll be there." I said and she huffed and walked off.

"Guess you have to go." Fang said, still holding me by my waist.

"Guess, I do." I replied. I leaned up and kissed him quickly. "We have to talk later." I said and he nodded. I smiled and walked to the kitchen.

**So how do you like it? I personally like it. They kissed twice! And one was fake but we will overlook that! And next up is the big talk between Fang and Max? What will happen? I don't know because I have absolutely no idea! I really don't! I just type it us as I go! I wasn't planning on having them kiss but oh well!**

**On another note:**

**Hell yes three updates in a day! Well, it's one o'clock at night… so techinically it's the next day… for me the next day doesn't start until three in the morning so it's ok! **

**And yes, I got my ten reviews! Now the review meter is going up to 15 reviews! Yes 15, five more than the last, let me see those reviews! **

**RnR?**


	11. Chapter 11 The Party Part II

**Heyy what's up people? How many of you have heard Rebecca Black's new single My Moment? Raise your hands if you like it? –raises hand- I like it. It's inspiring and admirable to see this girl who's bee verbally abused harshly WORLDWIDE come back and tell these people that this is her moment and she's not going to let haters ruin it for her. She's such an inspiring person and to be honest she was never on my hate list. Friday was bad, okay I'll say that but I would rather listen to that than some of the other crap that Hollywood has unleashed upon us. For example, G6, I know its fairly popular song, but I despise it with a passion. And what's another terrible song…. Ah Can't Be Tamed by Miley Cyrus, that song is a piece of shit and I would rather listen to Friday than that…. Thing. I get so irritated when people bash her and the song just because she sang it. Okay, I know it's auto-tuned , it's really obvious, but in my point of thinking so what? Nothing in this time ISN'T auto-tuned. And who cares if it is? It made the song better, would you rather listen to the non-auto-tuned version? I thought so. Yeah, and I didn't get my fifteen reviews but I got close to it and I just HAD to post this chapter! This chapter is the same amount of reviews required as the last, seeing we didn't reach our fifteen reviews! So fifteen reviews!**

**Well now let's get to the disclaimer. Sorry for my rant, I had to get it out.**

**Disclaimer: Since, I took so much space with my rant, no funny disclaimer, sorry there will be a funny end note okay? And you know what else makes me mad? I mean I'm obviously NOT James Patterson because if I was why would I be writing on Fanfiction when I could just write it down and publish it? And why would I be ranting about Rebecca Black? Make any sense to you? I'm obviously NOT James Patterson, who sadly, all the credit goes to James Patterson. I also don't own Back To December by Taylor Swift and Big Girls Don't Cry by Fergie.**

Fang's POV

Holy crap, I just kissed Vy again… twice. And she kissed back… I'm in some serious shit now. What the hell happened to Max? Crap, shit, damn, ass and every other curse there is in this goddamn world! I don't care if it's in freaking Chinese, if it's a curse I just said it!

I mean, I really really _really_ wanted to be Vy's boyfriend, but I couldn't just give up on Max? Who knows where she is right now (AN: Right in the kitchen, dumbass) and what kind of trouble she's in and here I am kissing a girl that's her freaking sister! Though she just doesn't know it…

_Take a mirror and look in it. You might find some answers. _Joey said, creeping back into my mind.

**What the flipping feather is that supposed to mean?** I screamed at it.

_No need to scream, and as for your question, as much as I want to answer it, I can't. I've talked to Max's voice, yes he is still in touch with her, but hasn't in a while, and he says that Max will tell you when it's the right time._ My cryptic voice said.

**But where is she? Do you know? **I asked

_Yes, I know, but I can't tell you. If I do, my boss will kill me. Literally, as in R.I.P Joey._ Joey said, oh ouch.

**But what am I supposed to do? I'm falling for Vy and I'm forgetting all about Max. I can't forget Max!** I said, I was freaking out at this point.

_Then keep falling, she's important. I can tell you that much. Don't push her away because of Max. _Joey said and I felt him/her slip away. Damn, I still didn't have any answers. But apparently I shouldn't push Vy away. As annoying my voice can be, he/she is usually right. At least, I got to kiss Vy some more. Sorry, teenage boy moment.

And what did he mean by, 'Take a mirror and look in it'? He/she wanted me to look in a mirror? I do that every day before I go to school and all I see is Fang. Argh, this is so confusing! Why did she have to leave?

"Hey Fang, I'm back. So want to talk?" Vy said, coming up to me. I turned around and saw her wiping her hands on her apron.

I remembered what my voice said and replied, "Uh yeah sure, can we go somewhere less… crowded?"

She looked at me and smiled, "Sure, come on." She grabbed my hand and led me up the stairs. She opened a door and led me inside into what I think is her room. It was pretty cool. It was candy apple green (The same color as Nudge's room) and had black accents on the wall. There was a small bed pressed up against wall by the window, which was huge and slanted. There was a square shelf and a small bedside table. By the other wall, there was a desk with some papers on it. Next to the bed and in front of the window, there was a small platform that was filled with instruments. There was an acoustic guitar, electric guitar, drums, a keyboard and a mic. There was a small closet by the door and there wasn't a bathroom but that was fine.

(AN: Link to room on profile. It's a bit different than what I said here, just imagine the changes in there and BAM! You have Vy's room)

"Nice room." I said, looking around.

"Thanks, I got to design it myself." Vy said looking proud.

"Then you have nice taste." I complimented her and then she gasped and covered her mouth. "What happened?" I asked, worried.

"I got two compliments, from Fang? In under five hours? The world is ending!" Vy said dramatically, putting a hand on her forehead.

I rolled my eyes and said, "Yeah okay, are we going to talk or not?"

She gasped again, "Fang wants to talk? Now I'm sure the apocalypse is coming." I glared at her and she laughed.

"Okay okay, I'm good. Take a seat wherever." She said and I sat down on her desk chair. She sat on her bed.

"Okay… so…" Vy trailed off awkwardly.

"Do you like me… like n that way?" I asked suddenly. Vy seemed taken aback but then thought.

"Well, we are a bit direct are we?" Vy joked and I glared at her. She held up her hands in surrender and said, "Okay sorry. Yeah, I do. I guess I never really noticed it because most of the time I was ripping my hair out over how much you guys annoy me, but I think along the way, I started to. Now how about you mister?" She got up and poked me in the chest.

I smirked and said, "The feelings mutual." She looked at me in disbelief. "What?" I asked.

"I basically tell you the whole thing and you give me three measly words? God, what is with you? Can't you say more? Don't you ever think, 'Hey Vy just practically poured her heart out why don't I do the same so she doesn't look like an idiot'? I bet you don't, you're too busy thinking, 'Hm how should I annoy Vy today? Maybe I could do this or that. The possi-" I cut her off by kissing her. She stiffened up but relaxed and put her arm around my neck. But after a few seconds she broke away and said, "Wait."

I pouted and she got up and sat on the desk. She sat with her legs wide open and pulled me towards her so I was between her legs…

(AN: Okay, since I'm not so comfortable writing kissing scenes I'm going to skip it and leave that part to your imagination. Sorry, about that)

A while later I heard someone calling, "Vy, where are you? Iggy and everyone is looking for Fang! The party ended half an hour ago!" I heard Ella call. Wait, the party ended half an hour ago? Oops.

"Hey where have you- oh. Oh god, I did not need to see that. I really didn't." Ella said and I think she left because I heard the door slam.

Vy pulled away and said, "You know we never did get to talk about us." She said, putting her head on mine.

"Mmm, what do you think we are?" I asked. Vy looked doubtful and thought.

"Fang… I can't be your girlfriend… I just can't… there's a lot going on and I just can't. But I still like you a lot. Maybe we could be friends with benefits?" She said, looking at me hopefully. I looked at her in disbelief.

"What? Friends with benefits? That's all, that's so stupid. Vy, I really like you and I don't understand why you can't be my girlfriend." I said, breaking away from her.

"Look, I don't want to talk about. It's really personal and I'm not ready to talk about it yet." She said quietly, not meeting my eyes. My anger flared up and I could feel the steam coming out of my ears. What is her problem? She makes out with me, tells me she likes me like I do to her and then tells me she can't be my girlfriend only a friend with benefits? What the hell?

"You know what, when you get your priorities straight call me. Until then I'm not even sure if we will be just friends." I sneered at her and walked.

"Fang, wait!" She called but I didn't listen.  
><em>You shouldn't have done that<em> My voice said.

**Go fuck yourself **I yelled.

Max's POV

"Fang, wait!" I called but he just kept walking. Why didn't he understand? Oh yeah he doesn't know the whole I'm-really-Max deal. Even if he did, I doubt he would understand. I followed him to his house but he just went in and slammed the door in my face, banging into my nose, making it bleed again but I didn't care.

"Fang! Fang open up, please!" I said but he didn't reply. I called for him for a few more minutes and then I gave up. I could feel the tears welling up in my eyes and I wiped them away. The Flock came and saw me.

"Vy what happened?" Nudge asked. I just ignored them and ran into my house and up to my room. I slammed my door shut and fell down on my bed.

"Max are you okay?" I heard Sunnah ask.

"Go away." I shouted, but it was muffled by my pillow.

I heard the door open and three pairs of feet came shuffling into m room.

"Max what happened?" Ella asked.

_Stop being so weak!_ I scolded myself. I held up a finger and got up. I put my hands over my mouth and calmed myself down. I wiped away my tears and told them what happened.

"T-There was this jerk he kept hitting on me a-and so I-I had Fang pretend to be my fake boyfriend. We had to k-kiss to prove it to him and we said that we should do that a-again so we d-did. Then I-I had to go h-help and we said we would t-talk later. And then we came u-up here and started to t-talk. But then that led to k-kissing and that's when you came in, Ella. But at that point we had been doing that for a while. T-Then F-Fang asked what we were and I said I couldn't be in a r-relationship because of p-personal issues and said maybe we could b f-friends with benefits and then he got mad because he probably thought I was l-leading him on and walked out on me and s-said that we probably wouldn't even be friends a-after this and I-ignored me." I said, finishing my story. I was mostly calm, but I still sniffled a lot and I teared up a little bit.

"Oh Max." Tara said, hugging me which I gratefully took and cried. "Sh Max, it'd okay. He'll come around." Sunnah said, rubbing my back.

"Max, Fang doesn't understand obviously, and then also add in the fact that he still needs to find you but as yourself, he's probably confused. Just give him some time he'll cool off." Ella said. I just cried some more.

xXx

Turns out that Sunnah and Tara would be sleeping over tonight. I was grateful to them for that. We were camped out in my living room and it was like two in the morning, but I couldn't sleep. Everyone else was asleep, but I kept replaying the scene in my head. I stifled a sob and a song began forming in my head. Two, actually. I silently got up and crept to my room.

I entered and closed the door. I went up to the platform and picked up my acoustic and put it on. I sat on the stool and strummed silently. I kept the mic off so I wouldn't disturb anyone.

_The smell of your skin lingers on me now  
>You're probably on your flight back to your home town<br>I need some shelter of my own protection, baby  
>To be with myself and center<br>Clarity, peace, serenity_

_I hope you know, I hope you know  
>That this has nothing to do with you<br>It's personal, myself and I  
>We've got some straightenin' out to do<em>

_And I'm gonna miss you like a child misses their blanket  
>But I've got to get a move on with my life<br>It's time to be a big girl now  
>And big girls don't cry<br>Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry_

_The path that I'm walkin', I must go alone  
>I must take the baby steps 'til I'm full grown, full grown<br>Fairy tales don't always have a happy ending, do they?  
>And I foresee the dark ahead if I stay<em>

_I hope you know, I hope you know  
>That this has nothing to with you<br>It's personal, myself and I  
>We've got some straightenin' out to do<em>

_And I'm gonna miss you like a child misses their blanket  
>But I've got to get a move on with my life<br>It's time to be a big girl now  
>And big girls don't cry<em>

_Like the little school mate in the school yard  
>We'll play jacks and Uno cards<br>I'll be your best friend and you'll be mine  
>Valentine<em>

_Yes, you can hold my hand if you want to  
>'Cause I want to hold yours too<br>We'll be playmates and lovers  
>And share our secret worlds<em>

_But it's time for me to go home  
>It's getting late, dark outside<br>I need to be with myself, and center  
>Clarity, peace, serenity<em>

_I hope you know, I hope you know  
>That this has nothing to do with you<br>It's personal, myself and I  
>We've got some straightenin' out to do<em>

_And I'm gonna miss you like a child misses their blanket  
>But I've got to get a move on with my life<br>It's time to be a big girl now  
>And big girls don't cry<br>Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry_

I finished off the end chords of the song and sighed. I wiped away the tears that had formed and wrote the song down.

I wrote down the second song and began to strum.

_I'm so glad you made time to see me  
>How's life? Tell me, how's your family?<br>I haven't seen them in a while_

_You've been good, busier than ever  
>We small talk, work and the weather<br>Your guard is up, and I know why_

_Because the last time you saw me  
>Is still burned in the back of your mind<br>You gave me roses, and I left them there to die_

_So this is me swallowing my pride  
>Standing in front of you, saying I'm sorry for that night<br>And I go back to December all the time_

_It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you  
>Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine<br>I go back to December, turn around and make it alright  
>I go back to December all the time<em>

_These days, I haven't been sleeping  
>Staying up, playing back myself leaving<br>When your birthday passed, and I didn't call_

_Then I think about summer, all the beautiful times  
>I watched you laughing from the passenger side<br>And realized I loved you in the fall_

_And then the cold came, the dark days  
>When fear crept into my mind<br>You gave me all your love, and all I gave you was goodbye_

_So this is me swallowing my pride  
>Standing in front of you, saying I'm sorry for that night<br>And I go back to December all the time_

_It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you  
>Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine<br>I go back to December, turn around and change my own mind  
>I go back to December all the time<em>

_I miss your tan skin, your sweet smile  
>So good to me, so right<br>And how you held me in your arms that September night  
>The first time you ever saw me cry<em>

_Maybe this is wishful thinking  
>Probably mindless dreaming<br>But if we loved again, I swear I'd love you right_

_I'd go back in time and change it, but I can't  
>So if the chain is on your door, I understand<em>

_This is me swallowing my pride  
>Standing in front of you, saying I'm sorry for that night<br>And I go back to December_

_It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you  
>Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine<br>I go back to December, turn around and make it alright  
>I go back to December, turn around and change my own mind<br>I go back to December all the time, all the time_

I quietly sang and stopped strumming, my fingers hurt from playing but I didn't notice. I was too busy crying. Oh, you're probably wondering when did Maximum Ride learn to sing and play? Well, when I first came, Ella was taking singing classes so I tried them out to, and that helped my voice and as for the guitar, I've always wanted to play, so I learned. Turns out I'm a natural. Back to the present.

I hung my head down and sobbed.

"That was beautiful Max." A voice said from my doorway. My head snapped up and I saw my mom leaning against the door, in her white bath robe.

"Oh, I-I'm sorry." I hiccupped, "D-Did I wake you?" I asked softly.

"Yes, yes you did, but I'm glad you did. Those songs were beautiful, honey what are they called?" My mom asked.

I hadn't really thought of the names, "Um, I guess the first one is Big Girls Don't Cry and the second… Back to December." I said weakly. My mom nodded and came over. She wrapped me in a big hug and whispered in my ear.

"Max, it's okay. Everything will find a way to fix itself" She said and I just continued to cry into her shoulder.

**So how much do you hate me now? I bet you hate me a lot! –Cackles-**

**Max: I really don't like that chapter.**

**Fang: I kind of do.**

**Iggy: I freaking love it!**

**Max: Why? I get my heartbroken! By him! –points to Fang-**

**Fang: Hey, you led me on!**

**Max: I had to! **

**Fang: You could've told me the truth!**

**Max: I was scared!**

**Iggy: -watches-**

**Fang: But you didn't have to kiss me then say we should be friends with benefits!**

**Max: Well, sorry for trying to keep up our friendship and still make you feel ike I wasn't using you!**

**Fang: You already did you litte b-**

**Me: Okay! That's enough of that! Apologize now or no bacon for a week!**

**Max: -grumbles- sorry.**

**Fang: -mumbles- me too.**

**Me: Good, now here's some bacon!**

**Iggy: Aw what about me?**

**Me: No, you blew up my book!**

**RnR?**


	12. Chapter 12 Afterwards

**Next chapter time!**

**WOOHOO! I got a beta! Let's give a round of applause to VivaLaKatee! No more annoying mistakes! Yay! –does a dance- Go Viva!**

**Next order of business! I got my fifteen reviews! Whoopee! Let's keep them coming.**

**Me: Come Max, you have to talk to Fang!**

**Max: No he broke my heart!**

**Me: It was a FICTIONAL story! Come on please make up!**

**Fang: Nope, she led me on!**

**Me: Argh, while I try to get them to make up for SOMETHING THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN (at least outside of the story) I'll do the disclaimer, I don't Maximum Ride and co. whatever crap that's from reality that may appear in here.**

**Max POV**

Now I understood how Fang felt when I ran away, except I'm sure I felt ten times worse. I didn't say harsh things to him, I didn't end our friendship, I didn't… didn't cruelly break his heart and throw it down Mount Rushmore.

There was only one word to describe how I felt: numb. I felt nothing, I walked around like a zombie. I barely showered, or changed for that matter. I was practically dead. The next week of school passed by and I almost didn't notice. It's a miracle I even remembered to transform. I didn't want to transform; I just wanted to go up to Fang and yell in his face, 'I'm Max!' and just cry.

But alas, I was too weak and broken emotionally to even smile.

I think it was a Thursday when Ella, Tara and Sunnah came into my room. They had left me alone to think.

"Max, you need to get out of this depression. It isn't good for your health." Tara said, coming over to my bed and rubbing my back.

"I don't want to." I mumbled.

"Max, come on your being ridiculous." Sunnah said.

"That's because I'm ridiculous, and pathetic, and stupid, ugly, worthless, horrible, terrible, awful-" Then Ella snapped.

"GODDAMN IT MAX! STOP ACTING LIKE ONE OF THOSE HEART-BROKEN GIRLS ON THOSE TV SHOWS THAT WE MAKE FUN OF! YOU ARE NOT PATHETIC OR UGLY OR WHATEVER CRAP YOU JUST CALLED YOURSELF. YOU NEED TO GET YOU ACT TOGETHER AND PICK UP THE BROKEN PIECES!

YOU ARE MAXIMUM RIDE! SAVIOUR OF THE FREAKING WORLD! YOU SAVED THIS FREAKING WORLD FROM WHO-KNOWS-WHAT, YOU'VE FACED HALF-WOLF MONSTERS, ROBOTS, EVIL SCIENTISTS, THINGS THAT ARE A HUNDRED TIMES WORSER THAN THIS AND WHEN A BOY COMES AND BREAKS YOUR HEART YOU MOPE AROUND LIKE A ZOMBIE?

THAT'S NOT THE MAXIMUM I KNOW! THE MAXIMUM I KNOW WOULD GET RIGHT BACK ONTO HER FEET AND WALK AROUND WITH HER CHIN HELD HIGH AND A SMIRK PLASTERED ON HER FACE. NOW GET OFF YOUR FUCKING ASS AND GET YOURSELF TOGETHER!" Ella yelled at top of her lungs. Tara, Sunnah and I just sat there, mouth hanging open. Ella never yelled or cursed that much before unless she was extremely pissed.

Then her words started to register in my head. She was right, I was acting stupid, I would've gotten up and given the guy a good ole' punch to the nose and walked away with my chin held high. I would've acted as if nothing happened and show the bastard I wasn't affected and Fang was no different. If he wanted to be a bastard then he'll just become one of the millions of bastards that roam this planet.

I got up off my bed and said loudly, "Yeah, you're right."

"What was that?" Ella screamed.

"Yeah!" I shouted back at her.

"Now are you going get you act to together and show that bastard who's the boss?" She screamed at me.

"Yeah!" I shouted.

"Yeah!" Ella shouted back.

"Yeah!" I yelled.

"Yeah!"

"Can we stop now I feel stupid?" I shouted.

"Me too!" Ella said and we looked at each other and broke out laughing and hugged each other and started crying. Sunnah and Tara and looked at us like we were crazy, which we probably were.

"I have never seen a weirder pep talk." Tara whispered to Sunnah.

"You got that right." She whispered back.

"Okay, so how are you going to get back at Fang?" Ella questioned, pulling away.

"Why would I do that?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Ella placed a hand on her hip, "Because he broke your heart, duh." The way she said it seemed so obvious.

I rolled my eyes, "I'm more mature than that." Seriously, I can be mature when I want to be. Yeah, sure I'm immature most of the time, but I can be mature about it when I wanted to be. And plus, if I tried to retaliate, it would show that it affected me and I didn't want to show any signs of weakness. He thinks that I would be begging for him to give me another chance, well that boy has another thing coming to him. Plus, if he found out that I am Max -which he probably will- he'll never let me live it down that I begged him to give me another chance. Nope, I'm keeping whatever dignity I have left.

"Are you sure about that?" Sunnah asked, eyeing me carefully. In response, I stuck my tongue out at her. "See? My point is proven!" She exclaimed. I just rolled my eyes.

"So if you're not going to get back at him, what are you going to do?" Tara asked, looking really serious. I shrugged and sat down on my desk. Sitting on the desk brought memories of the party back to the surface but I pushed them back and locked them in my mental file cabinet and put tons of mental duct tape and chains on them.

"I don't know, but one thing's for sure: I'm not pushing him and the Flock away. I haven't seen them for two years and just because of my relationship problems with Fang it doesn't mean I'm going to give the rest of them the cold shoulder. I'm going to keep being their friend and leave open arms for Fang." I replied. I was going to take this maturely and not pretend I was fazed by it even though I spent the entire week acting like a freaking zombie…

Moving on…

"So come on first thing I'm going to do now that I'm no longer a zombie is take every one, including the Flock, to the movies!" I said. I was dying to see The Smurfs and I knew Angel was, too. Plus, I think Gazzy and Iggy would get a kick out of it.

"You sure? Fang might think you're trying to make a move or something." Ella said, looking at me cautiously. I just threw my head back and laughed.

"To hell what he thinks, he thinks I'm being stupid and using him, then fine. He's laughing now because he thinks I'm too upset to even smile and that I'm heartbroken. Well just remember when he finds out my little secret, I'll be the one who's laughing then." I said and hopped off the table. "I'm going to call the Flock over then we'll head over, so get ready. And no, you guys can't borrow my clothes; you have to go back to you houses and change, because you are obviously not coming in your sweaty, stinky school clothes." I said as I pushed them out of the door. They pouted at me and I just waved them off. They sighed and went away. I smiled and picked up the phone.

I took a deep breath, I was going to be the bigger man (or woman) about this and not act like it affects me. I will not freak out if Fang picks up and I will not say he is not allowed to come. I dialed and the phone began to ring.

"Hello?" A deep voice said after the fourth ring. Damn, it was Fang.

"Hi Fang, it's Vy I was wondering if you guys wanted to come see a movie with Ella, Tara and Sunnah. We were going to see The Smurfs and I remember how much Angel wanted to see it and plus, it seemed like the type of movie Iggy and Gazzy would like." I explained, gritting my teeth slightly.

"I don't know let me ask them." He said and I heard him ask the Flock. I heard a chorus of 'yes' and I could practically hear his glare. I had to stifle a laugh. Now you got to deal with me don't you?

"Okay, I guess we are coming. Do you want me to come?" He asked cautiously to see how I would react. I internally scoffed, Nice try bunny boy. Bunny boy, I'm going to keep that one.

"I don't care it's up to you. Be here in ten. Tara and Sunnah will be here in…" I trailed off, doing the math in my head, "About fifteen. Bye!" I said and I hung up before he could get another word in. I pumped my fists up in the air in a little victory dance and smiled to myself. I think I handled that very well.

I did my victory dance until I realized I still reeked and needed to change. I stopped dancing and went to my closet. I picked out my black smiley face tee-shirt that ended right about the navel, a white tank top, purple skinny jeans and some underwear and headed to the shower.

"NO USE OF WATER!" I shouted _really_ loudly as I went in. It's this thing I do before my shower because if anyone uses water while the shower is on, the water either turns freezing cold or burning hot.

"Okay!" Ella shouted from her room across from mine. I rubbed my ear. God she was loud.

"No need to yell!" I yelled back.

"You're a hypocrite!" She shouted back. I smiled and went for my shower. Ten minutes later I came out and changed into my clothes. I put on a tad bit of mascara and pink lip gloss and transformed. I looked in the mirror and when I was satisfied with what I saw, I headed downstairs. The Flock and Tara and Sunnah were already there. They were all waiting for me. Oops.

"Hey guys!" I said brightly and plopped down on the couch next to Nudge,

"Hi Vy, I'm so excited to see The Smurfs! I heard it was really funny and the smurfs are so cute! And it's so cool that they are so tiny and small and blue! Wouldn't it be weird if we were like them-" I slapped my hand over her mouth before she could go any farther.

"Nudge the movie's going to start in ten minutes we have to go." I said slowly and she nodded. I removed my hand from her mouth and got up.

"Okay, come on everybody! Movie time!" I said and I headed for the garage.

"Hey Vy, how are we all going to fit in one car?" Iggy asked me. I stopped dead in my tracks, oh yeah, there are like nine people. Hmm… well the movie theatre was about fifteen miles away, there was only one car and walking would take too long.

"Well, its fifteen miles to the theatre so I suggest you people be fine with sharing seats otherwise we are walking fifteen miles!" I called and grabbed the keys to the van. Everyone grumbled and got in.

I was in the driver's seat, Sunnah was next to me, Iggy, Fang and Tara were in the back seat, Angel, Gazzy and Nudge were in the trunk seat and Ella was forced to sit on Iggy's lap, not that they minded much…

"Okay let's get this show on the road!" I said and everyone just rolled their eyes.

xXx

We pulled up into the theatre and got out. I'm sure Iggy and Ella were upset about that. Those two were worse than Fang and I before I left. I swear back then we were attached at the hip, these two are like attached at the back!

We bought the tickets and went in. The theatre was packed and we found some seats in the back. This is the order of how we sat: Nudge (since she had the bladder of a squirrel), Angel, Gazzy, Iggy, Ella, Tara, me, Sunnah and Fang. I felt bad for Fang; Sunnah would be torturing the whole time. I snickered that ought to be interesting; in fact I might even give her a few ideas…

"Hey Sunnah, whenever a funny part comes laugh really obnoxiously in Fang's ear." I whispered over to her.

She raised an eyebrow, "What happened to being mature about this?" She whispered to me.

"Yeah, I said I will be mature about it, I said nothing about you." I said and she rolled her eyes.

"We'll see." She said and Fang came back carrying the snacks.

xXx

"Man that was the best movie ever!" Gazzy said as we came out of the theatre.

"Yeah definitely." I agreed. We then began to go into a detailed discussion over our favorite parts of the move. I just stayed out of it. I was happy about being happy again, but at the same time I wasn't happy. Did that even make sense?

I looked over at Fang who was playing on his phone. I sighed and turned my attention back to my family. They were nut-jobs but I loved them anyway. Some more than others, I thought sneaking a glance at Fang. He was still playing on that stupid phone. I wish he would just talk to me like he would before everything.

"Hey Fang, what are you doing that's oh so interesting on your phone?" I asked sarcastically. Hey, if he wasn't going to say something, and I mean something, I was. It didn't have to be necessarily about our fight, but I missed talking to him.

"Nothing, just a game." He replied. He's still a man of many words.

I sighed, "What kind of game?"

He just looked at me then glared, "What's it to you?" Wow, I think it's_someone's_time of month.

I put my hands up in surrender, "Okay, just trying to strike up a conversation." I said and I continued walking.

"Look I-" Fang began to say, but then he cut himself off and just looked sad. Oh well, guess we'll never know what he wanted to say, just like he'll never know why I couldn't be his girlfriend. Well, he's going to find out_eventually,_just not now.

Just then, a song began to form in my head, I began to hum the melody quietly to myself.

"What are you humming? I don't think I've ever heard it before." Fang said, coming up to me. I snapped out of my thoughts and looked at him, smirking.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" I said and we reached the car. "I call shotgun!" I shouted, jumping into the passenger seat.

"Vy, you can't have shotgun!" Ella said. I pouted, why couldn't I have shotgun?

"Why?" I whined. Tara laughed and Fang shook his head.

"Because you're driving remember?" Iggy said, chuckling. Oh yeah…

"Well then… I get to choose who has shotgun and I choose…" I trailed off, choosing in my head. I'm sure Ella wanted to sit in Iggy's lap again (little perverts…), Tara and Nudge would chew my ear off about something I really don't care about, Fang was just no, and Angel and Gazzy were too young to sit up front so I picked Sunnah. Hm, this was just like coming here.

"Well, we are sitting in the same positions as before." I said and Iggy pouted.

"Does that mean I have to endure Ella's weight again?" He said playfully, Ella glared at him and smacked him across the cheek. Ouch.

Everyone grimaced, that had to hurt.

"Ow, I was just joking!" Iggy said, rubbing his cheek. Ella blushed and looked down.

"Oh, oops. Sorry." Ella said, flustered.

"Yeah, tell that to my bruised cheek!" Iggy said, still rubbing his cheek. Ella just rolled her eyes and kissed his cheek.

"There. All better?" She asked rhetorically, but of course Iggy had to pretend she was serious.

"Yes, now to the car!" Iggy said, pointing towards the cinemas. That boy…

"Iggy, first of all we are already at the car and secondly you're pointing to the cinemas." Ella said and we just laughed.

"Yeah make fun of the blind guy." Iggy said and we all got in, in the same positions as before.

xXx

"We are home!" I shouted as we entered our house. "And for once Tara and Sunnah aren't here!" I shouted again, we had dropped them off on our way back.

"Hi girls, how was the movie?" My mom said, coming in from the kitchen. Her hair was up in a ponytail and her apron was on. I wonder what she was making.

"Great. It was really funny!" Ella said, plopping down on the couch.

"Yeah, and plus I got a good song in my head." I said, plopping down next to her.

"Oh that's great honey; we can listen to your song later, but first off tell me how things went with the Flock." Mom said, sitting in the armchair next to us.

"Oh it went well, The Flock minus Fang acted like nothing ever happened!" I said, faking cheer. Seriously, the guy plain out ignored me the whole time.

"What did Fang do?" Mom asked, Ella also looked at me, she didn't hear our little exchange.

"Well, I asked him what he was doing on his phone and replied, 'Nothing just a game' and so I said 'What game?' and he said 'What's it to you?' then I thought of a song, started humming it and he asked what song it was and I replied, 'Wouldn't you like to know?' and then he was about to say something but he didn't and god, I'm turning into Nudge." I said, taking a deep breath. Mom and Ella laughed.

"Well, that was a very productive conversation you had there, Max." Ella joked.

"Yup. It was." I said back. My mom just shook her head.

"Max why don't you play us that song you thought up?" She asked and I nodded. I ran up to my room and grabbed one of my guitars.

"Okay here goes." I said and I began to play.

_"You don't understand what it is  
>That makes me tick<br>But you wish you did  
>You always second guess,wonder if i say yes<br>but you just lose out every time_

_If you only knew what i talked about  
>When I'm with my friends just hangin' out<br>Then you'd have the inside scoop  
>On what to say, what to do<br>That way when you play the game  
>Baby you could never lose<em>

_[Chorus:]__  
>Don't you wish that you could be a Fly on the Wall<br>A creepy little sneaky little Fly on the Wall  
>All my precious secrets, yeah<br>You'd know them all  
>Don't you wish that you could be a Fly on the Wall<em>

_You'd love to know, the things I do  
>When I'm with my friends, and not with you<br>Your always second guess, wonder if  
>There's other guys im flirting with<br>You should know by now_

_If you were my boyfriend, I'd be true to you  
>If I make a promise, I'm comin' thru<br>Don't you wish that you could  
>See me every second of the day<br>That way you would have no doubt  
>That baby i would never stray<em>

_[Chorus:]__  
>Don't you wish that you could be a Fly on the Wall<br>A creepy little sneaky little Fly on the Wall  
>All my precious secrets, yeah<br>You'd know them all  
>Don't you wish that you could be a Fly on the Wall<em>

_A little communication  
>Well that'll go a long way<br>You're getting misinformation  
>Too much hearsay, hearsay<em>

_and what i say is  
>come a little closer<br>And what I'm gonna say is_

_Don't You  
>Don't You<br>Don't You  
>Don't you wish you were a...<br>Hey!_

_[Chorus:]__  
>Don't you wish that you could be a Fly on the Wall<br>A creepy little sneaky little Fly on the Wall  
>All my precious secrets, yeah<br>You'd know them all  
>Don't you wish that you could be a Fly on the Wall<em>_"_

**[Fly On The Wall: Miley Cyrus]**

I stopped playing and looked at Mom and Ella.

"So what do you think?" I asked them. I thought it was catchy.

"That's good, Max. I got to go finish cooking." Mom said and she went to kitchen. I turned to Ella who was smiling like The Joker.

"Why are you smiling all creepy like?" I asked cautiously.

"I have a way to get back at Fang!" She yelled.

**Ooh! Cliffie! Muahahaa! I want…. 18 reviews this time! Muahahaha! Again, I want to say: WOOHOO! I GOT A BETA! Curtesies of VivaLaKatee, there are less mistakes in this story that I call mine! Though I'm pretty sure that sentence just had a few! Well, okay then! RnR? Outfits on profile.**


	13. Chapter 13 Fang Gets Stalked!

**Heyy sorry it's been a while. But I'm here now! I'm not going to go on and say a bunch of crappy excuses that you probably won't even read, so let's just go on with the story. **

**This is un beta'd, we ran into some problems...**

**Me: I'm back!**

**Max: Great, just we needed.**

**Me: I would shut up if you want some steak.**

**Max: What happened to bacon?**

**Me: We ran out, but steak is good, too.**

**Max: True, it is. So Ranirose272 doesn't own anything. And she doesn't own scenes from Wizards of Waverly Place.**

**Let us begin our journey!**

Fang's POV

"Fangy-poo! There you are!" A thick Russian accent called from behind me. I groaned remembering there was still a week left in this exchange program. You see, our school was participating in a two-week exchange program with a school from Russia. They got two girls from the sophomore year and one guy in his senior year. We got three girls in their junior year, who sadly had taken a strange, annoying and infuriating obsession with me.

I would have asked Vy to back me up, but I was still mad at her for that night a week and a half ago (AN: So it's been three days after the last chapter) Iggy thinks this is hilarious, Nudge isn't even in our grade so I's pretty useless having her help me, Gazzy and Angel aren't even in our _school. _Plus, Tara, Sunnah and Ella have been giving me dirty looks and the cold shoulder ever since, and when they do talk to me it's either because a) Vy forced to be nice or b) to annoy/torture me in some way.

So basically, I'm on my own when it comes to three rabid Russian girls who are obsessed with me (AN: No offense to Russians, I just chose a random country and made the three exchange students into rabid Fang fan girls)

This week was going to be interesting.

"What do you want, Dorothy?" I said using my emotionless mask. This girl seriously needed to get a life, that _didn't _involve me or even the faintest _idea _of me.

"Fangy-poo, I wanted to talk about our date tonight! So will you pick me up to go to this miniature-golf-entertainment-food-place that you mentioned?" She asked, batting her lashes in what was supposed to be an attractive way.

"No." I replied shortly, turning back to my locker.

"So I will pick you up?" She asked innocently. I felt bad about being so rude to her, I mean she just had a huge crush on me, but seriously the girl needed to get her head out of her daydreams and realize that I'm not interested!

The only girl I was interested in was Max, but she's somewhere in America, hell, I don't even know if she's in America! She could be in Cuba for all I know! And there was Vy, but I'm fuzzy on the whole Vy thing.

I mean I like her and I'm pretty sure she likes me, but why doesn't she want to be in a relationship with me? I mean being friends with benefits would be okay with other people, but I felt like friends with benefits were basically friends who didn't like each other like that, but had emptiness in their life that they use romantic actions like kissing, to fill. So basically, it made me feel like I was being used.

So that's why I said no, as for the part where I said that I didn't want her friendship either, I guess that was just a heat of the moment thing, because later (like an hour later) I regretted saying that, but I wasn't about to go back on my word, because that would make it seem like she won.

Anyway, back to my annoying problem.

"No." I repeated curtly, hoping she would get the message, but she didn't.

"Then we will meet there?" She asked in a small voice, confused.

I sighed and turned around, "Look Dorothy, I don't like you and we aren't going on a date tonight, not today, not ever. I don't want to be rude or obnoxious, but seriously can't you understand that I'm not interested?" I said, looking her dead in the eye. She looked at me, with her lower lip trembling and then she burst out into tears. Oh great, now I felt bad.

"B-but, I t-thought you l-loved me~" She blubbered senselessly. I sighed and put a hand on her shoulder reassuringly.

"Look Dorothy, I may not like you, but there's bound to be some guy that might. He may not be here, he may not be in Russia, but he's out there somewhere. It's just not me." I said and walked away, leaving her to think about my words of wisdom.

"Hey Fang?" I heard her call after me. I turned around and watched her approach me with no expression on my face.

"Thank you." She said softly and pecked my cheek. I blushed slightly, very slightly and she walked off. Good, I handled one of the three crazies, two more to go.

"Hey Fang!" Vy said coming up to me. I softened my gaze at the sight of her. She looked beautiful, she wore a black graphic tee with burnt roses all over it, white shorts that stopped at the knee, a chain belt, high top black converses, a double finger sliver ring, a leather bracelet, her wing necklace and some eye liner and I think Chap Stick. Her shoulder length black hair was down and she had her long bangs swept to one side and covered part of her right eye.

"What?" I asked coldly. She flinched slightly at my tone and I felt bad about that, but I was supposed to be mad at her.

"I needed your homework for History." She said, crossing her arms. I raised my eyebrows as if to say 'Really?' "What? It's not my fault they decided to have A Mob marathon last night!" She huffed.

"Why don't you ask Iggy?" I asked bored, shoving my hands in my pockets.

"He actually did his homework?" Vy asked, raising her eyebrows as well while crossing her arms and shifting her weight onto one leg. I cursed silently in my head. Damn, she looked cute when she did that.

I sighed, keeping up my act, and took my homework out from my binder, handing it to her, "Fine, here, but don't lose it." I said, she had a tendency to lose things.

"Thanks Fang, I won't lose it!" She called over her shoulder, running to the girl's bathroom to copy it. I shook my head, only she would do that.

…

"Here Fang." A feminine voice said and the then I was hit in the face with a wad of paper. I picked the paper up and unfolded it. It was my homework. I looked up and saw Vy smirking.

"What did you do to my homework?" I asked incredulously. What did my homework do to deserve this?

"Oh well, you see I was copying it, then a cowboy came in and demanded that I give him his pet shark. So I was like, 'What the hell, old man? I'm a teenage girl in a high school bathroom, why the hell would I have a pet shark?' He got all mad and then he grabbed your homework crumpled it into a ball and threw it at me. Then he summoned his alien army, which I bravely fended off." Vy said sarcastically.

I rolled me eyes, "Sure that happened."

"Whatever I have better things to do then be here." She said, walking away. Wow, I think it's someone's time of month. She walked half-way across the room when this dude, Derek, stopped her and began to flirt with her. By the look on her face, I could tell he was flirting with her. I clenched my fists under the table and grit my teeth.

Wait, why do I care if someone flirts with Vy?

_BRRRIIIINNGG_

Just before I could get any deeper in thought, the bell rang and the teacher came in and every one sat down, including the guy who had to sit across the room. I unclenched my fists and let out a sigh of relief, why I don't know why.

I tried to concentrate on the lesson, but I kept thinking about everything that happened in the past few days. One Vy and I make out, we have a huge fight, I act like a zombie for a week, I'm pretty sure she did, too, but I was too occupied with my own moping to notice. She calls us and takes all of us out to the movies, we have a trivial conversation and now she asked me for my homework. Well, we were getting nowhere.

Something hit the back of my head and I saw it was a crumpled up note. I turned around and saw Vy was snickering. Ah, so she sent it. When the teacher wasn't looking, I bent down and picked it up. I opened it and read its contents, which were pretty short.

_Hi_

Wow, she's as talkative as I am. I rolled my eyes and wrote down a short 'Really?' and tossed it back to her. I heard her huff and she tried to catch it. With my heightened senses I knew she caught it because I heard her say, 'Ha!'

I doodled mindlessly on my paper, waiting for a reply, but it never came. I sighed as the bell rang and gathered my stuff.

"Yo Fang!" I heard Vy say and I turned around to look at her.

"Yes Your Highness?" I joked, smirking as she glared at the nickname.

"Ignoring the nickname, I wanted to ask if you wanted to hang out after school, I miss my annoying best friend." She said, smiling slightly.

"Well, I'll ignore that annoying part and agree. So where are we going to go?" I asked, walking alongside her to our next class.

She quickly replied, "Anywhere but the mall." She said in a dark tone. I chuckled, so Vy doesn't want to go to the mall, huh? Then to the mall we shall go!

"Then the mall it is." I said, grinning slightly at her horrified expression.

"No way in hell! And keep your voice down! If Tara, Ella or Nudge hear you, I'll be a goner! They want me to be more girly and all that crap, so they'll drag me to all those girly stores and make me try on pink clothes and if you are my best friend you will not make me go through that!" She said, waving her hands around like a crazy person.

I rolled my eyes and grabbed her wrists and brought her hands down, "God, calm down Vy. I was just joking. How about the park?" I asked. She thought about it then agreed.

"Sure why not? But you are getting me ice cream!" She called over her shoulder, walking ahead of me. I quickened my pace and caught up to her.

"Now who said anything about ice cream?" I inquired, smirking slightly.

"I did and no complaints you are buying me ice cream or else." She threatened.

I scoffed, "Or else what? You'll spread rumors that I have a stuffed bear? Good luck with that."

"I can do way better." She replied cockily and I raised my eyebrow at her.

"Oh yeah, like what?" I asked, leaning up against a locker. We had stopped walking and were now quarreling in the hallway. Plus, she had study hall next with a very laid back teacher and I had lunch, so it didn't matter if we were late.

"You'll see." She said mysteriously and then she walked off. I pondered on what she could possibly do, but let it slide; she couldn't do anything too bad.

I walked into lunch where I met up with Iggy and our friend, Darien.

"Hey man, guess what?" Iggy said excited like a kid who got his first toy.

"Iggy I swear if another girl asked you out, I will murder someone, most likely you." I growled. I swear that boy gets asked out like every other day! Of course he usually says no, seeing that he likes Ella, but he still gets all hyped up about it.

"Well then I guess I won't tell you Vy's secret." Iggy said mischievously.

(AN: Haha, I was going to leave it there, but then I decided not to be mean and plus that was only five pages and that would be too short.)

That caught my attention, "What secret?" I asked, suddenly interested in the conversation.

"Well if you insist." Iggy sighed dramatically as we sat down at our table. Even though Iggy was like a chick-magnet no one sat with us except Darien, who knew mostly everything about us, minus the wings. "So you know how Vy's parents were abusive right?" Iggy said, shoving some chicken in his mouth, well I hope it was chicken at least…

I nodded and ate an apple, "Well, apparently she had an abusive boyfriend. And he was the only on she had, she would've broken it off with him as soon as he started hitting her but she didn't because she still liked the jerk." Iggy explained. My eyes widened, if that's true then that's why Vy didn't want anything serious (AN: No you moron! It's because she's Max you dimwit! God, I hate making the characters oblivious). She was scared from her last one. Oh god, if that was true, I felt like such a jerk.

"Dude, seriously?" Darien asked, eating his fries.

"Yeah, Ella told me herself." Iggy said, eating his 'chicken'. Ella told him? But isn't that something Vy would tell people? That's kind of mean, but since Ella said it, it had to be true. God, I feel like such a dickhead.

I groaned and banged my head against the table. "Aw man, I feel like a major dickhead." I said, voicing what I had been thinking.

"I think if it was any of us in your place, we would be, too." Iggy said, drinking his milk.

"So what are you going to do now?" Darien asked, looking at me.

"Well, I guess try to let her know that I won't ever hurt her, but not directly because I think she just wants to be friends now." I groaned. But that would be good right? Now I could focus on finding Max. But something told me that I should go with the flow and as cheesy as that sounds, I think that means dating Vy if I wanted, too.

"Nice man, you're in some serious shit." Darien said, I glared at him and he held his hands up in surrender.

What was I going to do?

…

I headed down the hall to my next class, head down and listening to my IPod (That the Flock generously gave me for Christmas two years ago) when I heard Vy call my name.

"Fang!" She said, waving like a maniac. I turned around and my lip twitched as I watched her wave and jump around like a complete moron. I chuckled and walked to her. I was glad that we were best friends again; I mean it really didn't take much. It took crumpled homework and the threat of going to the mall to make it happen. I guess both of us were pretending that that night never happened, and I was fine with it, for now at least.

I strode over to Vy, taking my hood off my head, "Would you stop jumping around like a moron? I can't be seen with just _anyone_, much less a monkey." I said jokingly. Vy rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.

"Well, if you must know, I will stop acting like a moron for now, but you will see monkey girl again." She said playfully, grinning like crazy and I rolled my eyes at her.

"So what did you call me over for? I was in the middle of Best of Both Worlds!" I exclaimed, pretending to be mad.

She raised an eyebrow, "Really Hannah Montana? You know what? We'll talk about your music choice later; I wanted to tell you something." Vy said, trying to suppress laughter. What was going on?

"What?" I asked bored.

"There's a sign that says 'My teddy is my best friend!' on your back." She said, snickering. I paled and reached for my back, where I pulled a sign off that said the exact same thing. Vy burst out laughing, clutching her sides as tears came out of her eyes. Who would do this to me? Oh wait stupid question, Iggy would do this. I would have to kill him later.

"Har har, everyone is a comedian. Big whoop!" I said sarcastically, and she just laughed even harder. I guess she was imagining me with a stuffed bear.

"Boo-boo!" A high pitched voice said from across the hall. I groaned out loud and Vy stopped laughing and looked at me to question the name.

"Not Melissa." I prayed, shaking my head. But sure enough it was the blonde came skipping up to me and wrapped her arms around my neck, kissing my cheek. I saw something pass by in Vy's eyes but it came just as fast as it came.

I pried Melissa's arms off of my neck and rubbed my cheek. I turned around and faced the ditzy blonde, "Yes Melissa?"

"So I was wondering if you wanted to you know, go out tonight?" She asked, twirling a piece of her tangled gold hair.

I sighed and said, "Melissa, we are not going out."

"But Fangy, you love me!" She shrieked. I sighed again, why did all of the exchange students have to delusion themselves into thinking I loved them? Vy watched the exchange with a twinkle of amusement in her eyes and something else that I couldn't put my finger on.

"No I don't." I replied back shortly, taking no interest in the conversation.

"Oh Fang-ilicious!" A nasally voice called from behind Vy. I groaned again, not Gertrude. But the universe was out to get me today, because Gertrude walked past Vy and stood next to Melissa.

"What are you doing here?" Melissa asks, eyeing Gertrude with disgust. Apparently, they didn't get along too well at their other school either.

"Me? I'm talking to my boyfriend, what are _you _doing here?" Gertrude asked distastefully, swinging her long chestnut braid over her shoulder.

I sighed and turned to Vy who was amused and confused at the same time, "They somehow brain-washed themselves into thinking they are my girlfriends." I explained and she giggled. I glared at her and she laughed more. I glared at her some more, but it didn't do a thing.

Meanwhile, Melissa and Gertrude were shouting at each other when they noticed I was glaring at Vy.

Melissa brushed past me and poked Vy's chest with her pale, bony finger, "You!" She exclaimed angered.

Vy stopped laughing and raised an eyebrow, "Me!" She said in a fake excited tone.

"You stole my boo-boo away from me!" She shrieked at Vy.

Vy just snickered, "Your boo-boo? Girl, I think you _have _a boo-boo on your head."

Then Gertrude popped in, "Your boo-boo! He's my Fang-ilicious!" She exclaimed, pulling Melissa away from Vy.

"No way he's mine, but this brat stole him away from me!" She yelled back.

"No she stole him away from me!" Gertrude yelled. She turned to Vy and said, "You boyfriend stealing meanie! How dare you steal my Fangy?"

"No how dare you steal me Fangy?" Melissa shouted at Vy, who just watched the two girls fight with the same expression as me, horror. After a while her expression turned into confusion as the fight got harder to understand, as in the logic was very confusing.

"I'm confused!" Vy whined. I raised my eyebrow at her and she stuck her tongue out at me. Then her eyes lit up and she got an idea. At this point the two girls were at each others throats and weren't noticing what we did at all.

Vy put a finger to her lips and motioned for me to follow her quietly, which I did. We silently crept away from the crime scene and once were away from earshot of the two murderous girls we burst out laughing.

"Wow Fang, you got some taste in girls." Vy joked, laughing.

"Hey don't look at me! They throw themselves at me! I'm the victim here!" I said jokingly.

Vy rolled her eyes, "Yes, because you are the complete package." She said sarcastically. I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from bitterly saying that she didn't think that a few days ago at the party where she was sticking her tongue down my throat. Then I remembered I was getting my best friend back, and I didn't want to ruin it.

"Why yes thank you for realizing it." I said instead, smoothing out my hair like they do in the movies. She giggled and the bell rang. We said goodbye and headed our separate ways to our next classes.

…

I walked into Technology and sat down next to Darien, who was busy trying to balance a pencil on his nose. I sat down and swung my hand out, knocking the pencil down.

"Hey!" Darien said as he bent over to pick his pencil. I snickered and crossed my arms. "What's gotten into _your _pants, man or is it just 'Be a Bastard' Day?" Darien asked, glaring when I told him he was such an idiot.

"Nothing's gotten into _my _pants, but I'm not sure about _yours_…" I said trailing off and Darien just smacked the back of my head and I laughed. I put my hands up, "Sorry, sorry, I'll stop being a jerk. But seriously, you are an idiot." I said, chuckling.

"And I cherish every minute of it." Darien said cockily, smiling like the Chesire Cat. I rolled my eyes at his silliness.

"That proves my point exactly." I replied. Darien just gave me thumbs up and I sighed and put my earphones on, turning on Stab My Back by All-American Rejects. The teacher came in and began to drone on about something which I think was plumbing, but it was drowned out by my music, so it could have been about paint for all I know. I slunk lower in my seat, threw my hood on and tried to be unnoticeable. It worked, the teacher didn't call on me once, didn't even look at me, Melissa, who was in this class sadly, didn't even acknowledge my presence by drooling over me (literally, yesterday she had to wipe her mouth) for a second and Darien was ignoring me as an act of fake anger.

I say that class went by pretty well. The teacher man passed out a test as Hit the Lights by Selena what's-her-name came on. I growled and clenched my fist, Nudge put that song on my IPod as an attempt to make me less 'emo' or whatever and I swore I deleted it. I tried to change it, but mister teacher man was just in front of me lecturing Darien about something and I couldn't do anything without getting caught.

I slumped in my seat and was forced to listen to the stupid song. The song ended (And I will never _ever _admit this to _anyone, _not even to Akila, who can't even talk, but that song was half bad.) and I groaned internally when another song by what's-her-face came on, When the Sun Goes Down. (AN: Hehe, I love the newest Selena Gomez album! It rocks!) How many pop songs did Nudge put on my IPod? I managed to listen to the whole song (Teacher man was _still _lecturing Darien) when it finally ended (again, it wasn't _that _bad, but I will never admit that as long as I am _remembered _in this world) and If Today Was Your Last Day by Nickleback came on. I let out a sigh relief as a non-pop song came on and waited for the teacher to stop lecturing Darien and just give me my goddamn test.

Two songs later, he finally gave it to me and walked by without even noticing me. I smirked and began to do the test. I finished about five minutes later (the test was really easy) and walked up to hand it in.

"Hood off Ride." The teacher man said and I obliged, not wanting to make a scene. Thank god my earphones were the ones that were on the drawstrings of my sweatshirt and they were black so it camouflaged with my hair. And plus, if anyone noticed, they didn't say it.

I walked back to my seat, where I sat slouching and put my hood on again. I saw a hint of irritation in the teacher's eyes but he didn't say anything. I listened silently to my music, biting the inside of my cheek to stop from quietly singing or humming the song I was listening to (It was a bad habit).

(AN: Fang and Max are very similar, take a close look at Fang's behavior in this chapter and Max's in the next to see the similarities in them)

The bell finally rang and I got up and walked out of the room. Once outside, I leaned against the door to the classroom and waited for Darien to get his lazy ass out of the room. Thankfully Darien came out before Melissa who was still doing her make-up and we left for the next class.

We walked in silence, which was fine with me, because I was listening to my music as you know, and Darien was busy doing the homework he didn't do. He waved to me as he went his own way to Spanish and I nodded in return. I continued on my way to Music where I met Vy glaring murderously at her friend, Sunnah I think, who was glaring back with an equal amount of ferocity.

I smirked and decided to have some fun. I walked up to the mad girls and said, "Hey girls, arguing over who gets to sit next to me?"

Vy screamed and jumped. Sunnah whipped around and looked at me. Both girls were too busy glaring at each other to notice me, hence the shocked (and screams) expressions. I grimaced and rubbed my ear. Sheesh, VY can scream.

"God, I know I'm amazing and all, but there was no need to scream like a fan girl." I said, rubbing my ear.

"Ha, you wish I was a fan girl!" Vy scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest. Sunnah studied the both of us and smirked.

"We are going to talk later, missy." Sunnah said, walking off leaving Vy pouting. I wonder what they were talking about.

"And no, I'm not going to tell you what that was about." Vy said, looking me in the eye, as if reading my mind. Damn, she's good.

"What did you say? My hearings still messed up, whether it's from the Selena Gomez Nudge put on my IPod I was forced to listen to or your scream, I don't know." I replied, grinning slightly.

"You listened to Selena Gomez?" Vy asked incredulously, with wide eyes.

"Well it was either that or get caught and have my IPod taken away, which I would not like at all." I shot back and Vy snickered, I shot her a glare as if to say, 'Shut up' but she kept snickering. I glared at her and she looked at me and stopped laughing… slowly…

"Ok –breath- I'm –gasp- good. But seriously, imagining you at a Selena Gomez concert, screaming like a crazed fan is very entertaining." Vy said, wiping away tears that had formed. I had an urge to wipe them away myself, but I didn't want to do something stupid after that.

I thought of myself at a Selena Gomez concert, screaming like a crazed fan and shook my head trying to get that image out of my head, "Don't ever make me see that picture again." I growled, still trying to get that song out of my head.

Vy giggled and the bell rang. We slide down onto the bench (the desks were a science lab table and a bench, this room used to be a science room) and I plugged my IPod in and began to listen to it. After a few minutes, my earphones were yanked out by Vy, who motioned for me to listen. I rolled my eyes, but did so.

"Well, I'm assigning you a project that requires partners. The project is you have to write two songs about categories which you pull out from this hat, and perform it to the class. I will be assigning your partners, so don't get too excited." Miss Brown said. Yes, I actually bothered to learn her name because she's actually a cool teacher, when she's not giving out assignments.

I listened un interested as Miss Brown rattled off the names of the pairs.

"Sunnah, you will be working with Fang. Vy you will be working with…. Huh, it seems that there is no one left to work with so you'll be working with Sunnah and Fang." She said, looking at us from her clipboard. So I was working with Sunnah and Vy. I looked at Vy who was looking at Sunnah with an evil glint in her eye. I looked between both of them, when they looked towards me with that same mischievous look in their eyes. Crap, their probably going to make us do some pop song.

Well, this was going to be an interesting project. After Miss Brown finished saying our partners, she walked around with the hat in her hand and students began to pull out their categories. The hat came to me and I pulled out a small white slip that said, 'On-Off Relationships'. Well, that was just dandy… that sounds a lot like Vy and I. We would fight, make-up, be friends again, then go back to fighting. Then there was that night, but I won't count that.

I looked over Vy's shoulder and saw that she got 'fear'. Well, that would be hard to write, but I'm sure we would do it.

"What did you get?" Vy asked, nudging me in the stomach. I showed my slip to her and she nodded, "Well, that will be easy. I assume you know mine already so I'll tell you Sunnah's, it's about 'Princesses'" She scoffed. I looked at her horror struck and then I began to think it over.

"Maybe, it doesn't have to be about the stereo-type princess, you know with the puffy dresses and all that crap. Maybe a girl who _thinks _she's a princess or something." I suggested and Vy seemed to think it over.

"You're right! Fang you're a genius!" Vy exclaimed.

I smirked, "I know, but would you mind telling that to Iggy?" I asked, jokingly.

"Nah." She replied, "Iggy's probably right for once in his life." She said, smiling.

"What happened to me being a genius?" I asked, feigning hurt.

"I kicked it's ass off the Empire State building." She replied and smirked.

"Well then." I huffed and continued to ignore her for the rest of the period, much like Darien was doing to me last period. She giggled and just let me be.

The rest of the period droned on and on, and when I finally concluded that Father Time was intentionally slowing time down to torture me, the bell rang. I got my stuff and left, without a second glance.

"Hey Mr. Grouch, wait for us!" Sunnah called and I scowled. I sighed and turned and waited for them to come.

"Okay, I waited now can we go?" I asked impatiently. Just one more period, then I'm home free!

"Sure Mr. PMS." Vy said smugly. I raised my eyebrow at her but she just laughed and walked alongside Sunnah, who was talking about the importance of tacos. (AN: If you haven't realized yet, I based Sunnah off of me. She's different than me, but also similar personality wise) I shook my head, when Vy started talking about how steaks were more important.

They started arguing and I decided to butt in, "Hey you guys?" I said calmly. They turned around and glared at me. Vy put her hands on her hip (looking really cute when she did that) and Sunnah crossed her arms.

"What?" They said venomously.

"Well, I think we should agree that steak _and _tacos are important and that ribs are _way _more important." I said, you could practically hear my smirk. The girls looked at me with wide eyes and open mouths and then looked at each other. They seemed to have a silent conversation and then nodded. They turned to me with innocent looks on their faces and walked up to me and went to both of my sides and latched onto my arms.

"What are you guys doing?" I asked nervously. You should know that Vy was devious and Sunnah was equally as devious maybe a tad bit more devious and combined those two could humiliate you into the deepest corner of hell.

"Nothing Fang, we just realized how _smart _you are." Sunnah gushed. Vy nodded eagerly and then looked at Sunnah, who just shook her head.

"Oh Fang, you're so _strong." _Vy cooed, stroking my upper arms. Okay, now I was getting worried. Why were they acting like complete ditz'?

"And _handsome."_Sunnah added, stroking my cheek. She had moved her head forward to do that and then she nodded.

Next thing I know, they were screaming into my ears. I jumped and tried to cover my ears, but Sunnah and Vy were keeping my arms in place.

"Ow, guys are you trying to make me go deaf?" I shouted at them, when they were done screaming their heads off. They had unlatched themselves from my arms and were on the ground laughing. I was rubbing my ears and trying to stop the ringing.

They didn't stop laughing and I glared at them, "Well?" I asked, still trying to get the ringing to stop. I was surprised no teachers had come to see what all the screaming was about because the screams were so loud I was sure Dr. M heard it at her clinic.

"Oh my god that was classic!" Sunnah said, clutching her sides.

"I know! Did you see his face?" Vy agreed, laughing harder.

"And when we were gushing about how 'amazing' he is?" Sunnah asked, putting air quotes around amazing. Hey, I'm amazing! Huh, I take offense!

"Or when we were screaming?" Vy asked, pulling her legs up to her chest to slow the laughing. I just glared at them full on and waited for them to stop laughing. They finally did and got off the ground, wiping their eyes.

"Oh my god, we have to do that again, except without the fan girl act. I was gagging so much inside, I think I threw up a little." Sunnah said smiling.

"Oh you know you enjoyed feeling my biceps." I smirked, flexing my biceps.

"What biceps? I think a dog has more muscle than you." Vy scoffed.

"Are you comparing me to a dog?" I asked amused. Vy realized her mistake than quickly tried to cover it up.

"No, let me rephrase that: a _cat _has more muscle than you." She said quickly. Sunnah snickered and I raised an eyebrow.

"A cat as in I purr, claw and am feisty?" I said, really amused at this point.

"What? Gah! You know what? You're a gerbil!" Vy exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air, and then proceeded to storm off.

"A gerbil? I'm pretty sure I haven't been called that before." I said a hint of a smile lingering on my lips (though Sunnah and Vy would both say I was full out grinning at that point but I won't admit it).

"Yeah, she's pretty creative like that." Sunnah said, watching in amusement as Vy, in her anger ran straight into an open door. We both laughed as she rubbed her forehead and stumbled up. The bell rang and we looked at each other wide eyes.

"Come on gerbil, we are going to be late for science!" Sunnah yelped, grabbing my arm and dragging me to science, which we had together. Vy had Gym with Iggy I believe. Then I realized what Sunnah called me.

"Hey!"

…

"Ms. Parekh and Mr. Ride, nice of you two to finally join us, you do realize it's five minutes after the second bell rang?" Our science teacher asked us with a raised eyebrow. What can I say? The school is really big.

"Sorry! We ran all the way here and we were across the building!" Sunnah explained.

"So you ran here?" The teacher asked. I really hate her; she finds a fault with everything you do. "Detention for both for tardiness and running in the hall." She said, handing both of us a pink detention slip. We groaned and went to our seats. Luckily, I sat next to Sunnah and not some stranger.

"Ugh, I hate Mrs. Carroll." Sunnah whined, putting her head in her hands, "My dad is going to kill me for getting detention!" She said, but lowered her voice when Mrs. Carroll shot her a look.

I scoffed, "At least you don't have to pick up three kids after school, go to the park with a person and make dinner." Vy was going to kill me for getting detention and now I had to make Iggy pick up the kids, and who knows how many poles or trees he'll run into doing so?

"What about your parents?" Sunnah asked absent-mindedly.

"They work in the city." I replied shortly. She nodded and wrote down the notes on the board.

"So who are you going to park with?" She asked, nudging me, smiling.

"Someone." I said with no emotion. Yeah, Sunnah and I were good friends; you got a problem with that? She's a cool girl.

"Yes, it's _someone._ Maybe a lover?" She joked.

"Ms. Parekh! Mr. Ride! Would you like to share your conversation with the rest of the class?" Mrs. Carroll snapped. We shook our heads no and were silent for the rest of the class.

…

The bell rang and we left that hell of a class in a hurry.

"Thank god, that class is over. I can't stand that witch." Sunnah said to me as we walked to Vy's locker, where we would meet Vy and Iggy. We talked mindlessly about homework, school and joked around.

We reached Vy's locker where Iggy was desperately trying to get Alice away from him. Vy was laughing but helping him nonetheless. She finally pried Alice off of Iggy and shoved her out of the way, growling something to her, in almost an over=protective way? Vy couldn't like Iggy, right?

I shook my head and cleared that thought and walked up to them, Sunnah following me.

"Hey guys." Sunnah said, as we approached them.

"Oh look its dirt poor from the streets." Alive sneered and Sunnah growled and stepped forward to tell Alice a thing or two, but I grabbed her arm and shook my head. She glared at me, but stopped anyway.

Alice finally noticed I was there and turned on her flirty mode or as I like to call it gag-mode, "Hi Fang." She said, walking up to, tucking a strand of her hair behind her hair. I just looked ahead, no expression on my face and ignored her all together.

"Hey Fang? Are you there?" Alice asked, waving her hand in front of my face, going on her tip-toes so her hand could reach my face (Yes, I was just _that _tall), though I had a feeling it had something to do with the fact that she could get her breasts closer to my face. Hence, gag-mode.

I just brushed past her and stood behind Iggy, looking bored. We all watched in amusement as she huffed and stomped off.

"Well, that was amusing." Vy said after a whole. We all nodded in agreement, except for Iggy who was still trying to get rid of Alice's taste.

"Oh my god, that is the first time I've been upset to get kissed by a girl." Iggy moaned. We al snickered.

"Hey Vy, Gerbil and I got detention for 'tardiness and running in the halls'" Sunnah said, using air quotes.

Vy pouted and spoke, "Aw, what about our plans?" She asked me.

"What about Nudge, Gazzy, Angel? What about dinner? I don't know!" I said back in response. She just glared at me. I looked at Iggy, who strangely knew I was looking at him and smiled nervously.

"I may or may not have gotten detention too…" He said, rubbing his arm. I groaned.

"Iggy what did you blow up?" I asked who knew how expensive this thing was.

"A stall in the boy's bathroom." He said proudly. I put my head in my hands, which would be close to $9,000! (AN: I looked that up, I hope that is right…)

"Iggy! Why?" I asked, He just grinned and gave me thumbs up.

"How about you?" I asked Vy who just smirked.

"I got plans." She said mysteriously.

"What how? I was your plans how could you have plans in less than five seconds?" I asked desperately. If someone doesn't pick up Nudge, Angel and Gazzy they are going to freak and who knows what might happen?

"I just do, but don't worry. I'll have Tara and Ella pick them up, okay?" Vy said reassuringly, giving me a small smile.

I sighed, "Fine, but you owe me, who knows what Ella and Tara will do to them? Well, Nudge and Angel might like it, but poor Gazzy. May he survive?" I said sympathetically, shaking my head. We just laughed and headed our own way.

…

"Mr. Callough?" Mrs. Carroll, unfortunately the detention teacher, called for role call.

"Here" The kid replied, bored rolling a pencil across the desk.

"Mr. Ride, both of them?" She said, not looking up from her clip board.

"Here" Both of us replied, smirking.

"And Ms. Parekh?" She finished.

"Here, unfortunately." She said, well she muttered the last part, but Mrs. Carroll didn't hear that.

"Okay, now I'm going to go grab some papers from my classroom, so I want you to sit quiet and not move a muscle." She said sternly, and the left the room. I sighed and looked out the window. Suddenly Vy popped up on the other side of the window and waved.

I yelped and jumped a little bit. Sunnah, Iggy and the rest of the people who were there (two others) looked over and saw Vy. They laughed and turned their attention to whatever they were doing. Sunnah and Iggy kept looking, with Sunnah explaining what was happening to Iggy.

Vy motioned for me to open the window, which I did, curious as to why she was here. She smiled and hopped in the classroom.

"Hey guys!" She said, crouching on my desk. She hopped off my desk and went to sit in the desk next to Sunnah.

"Vy what are you doing here?" Iggy asked, saying what all of us were thinking.

"I told you guys I had plans." She said, winking. So this is what she meant.

"I knew you couldn't resist me." I joked. She glared at me and I just smirked.

"No, I'm here for Sunnah. This is her first detention after all." She said, putting an arm around Sunnah, who just rolled her eyes and shrugged her arm off.

"Vy, you'll get in trouble." Sunnah said.

"For what? Sneaking into detention? I'd like to see how that would work out." She scoffed (AN: That's from Wizards of Waverly Place! I don't own it!)

…

Three hours later (Mrs. Carroll gave Vy, Sunnah, Iggy and I an extra hour of detention for helping someone trespass onto school territory, I told you that woman can find a fault in everything) we finally left detention.

"Finally!" Iggy whooped, pumping his fists in the air.

"Yeah, we would've been out sooner if it wasn't for _someone_ sneaking into detention, giving us another hour of detention." I accused, poking Vy on her right shoulder.

"You know you enjoyed my company." She said, smiling and poking me back.

"Uh-huh sure, whatever helps you sleep at night." I said back, rolling my eyes.

"Well come on! We have to get to the park!" Vy said, pulling me to her car. I laughed silently and we waved bye to everyone. We got into Vy's car and drove off. She turned on the radio and actually _squealed _when Stab My Back by All-American Rejects came on and began to sing along to it.

"Did you squeal?" I asked amused. She just kept singing and nodded. She had a nice voice.

"I didn't know you liked The All-American Rejects." I said.

"Who doesn't?" She asked in reply.

"I don't know, Tara?" I said in response.

"Touché." She said, pointing a finger at me. We settled into a comfortable silence after that, well it wasn't really silent since Vy was still singing. I let my thoughts wander to Max. I wonder where she was right now and what she was doing and if she was okay (AN: She's right next to you, smart one) I also wondered what the voice meant by 'Look in the mirror and you'll get some answers'. What could he mean by that?

_I don't know, I got that off of a fortune cookie._ Joey said, slipping into my mind.

**What do you mean you got that from a fortune cookie? Aren't you supposed to be helping me? **I asked my voice incredulously.

_Relax, I was joking. And fine, I'll help you a tad bit. So what does a mirror show you? _Joey asked, like a teacher.

**Your reflection, **I replied, this was common sense.

_Yes, now what does a reflection look like? _Joey continued.

**Like the person whose standing in front of it. **I replied back easily. Where was he/she going with this?

_Good, now that's all I can help you with. You're a smart boy or so I'm told, so you should be able to figure it out. Now I have to go eat steak, bye! _Joey said, leaving my mind. Wait! Do- Damn, he/she left. Seriously steak?

"You Fang, we're here." Vy said, cutting me off from my thoughts.

**7,701 words and no lyrics whatsoever, just writing. HELL YEAH! –celebrates- WOOHOO! I bet you guys are happy about that! And holy crap, I got more than **_**twice **_**the amount of reviews I wanted! I think I got 40+ reviews! Oh yeah… And thanks to the crazy (don't worry we are all crazy) anonymous who left eighteen reviews just so I would update! You rock!**

**Again, I got a beta! (still happy about that :D) **

**How many of you are near a plave that's going to get hit by Hurricane Irene? I am! D: I also felt part of the 5.9 earthquake! D: Wish me luck! It hits tomorrow!**

**So since you guys did so well, how about 23 reviews this time? RnR, hit that button!**


	14. Chapter 14 Dreams and Cat Girls

**Yeah so I'm back hurrah! Sorry, I'm out of cookies so I'm in a bad mood D:. I'll try to be happy. Anyway, so here's the next chapter… I don't have anything else to say!**

**Max: Finally she's quiet!**

**Me: Hey!**

**Fang: I know she never shuts up!**

**Me: Hey!**

**Iggy: Yeah, at least now we can get some peace and quiet!**

**Me: I'm right here you know! You should be glad I don't own you guys or you'll be in a heap load of trouble… -glares- But since I don't… NO BACON!**

**All: Aw!**

**ONWARDS!**

_I tore through the woods, my hair flying behind me, my eyes darting__from tree to tree to bush to air, searching for any signs of Erasers._

_The sharp edges of branches and twigs scraped against me as I ran past them, peeling away skin and making me bleed. I heard a howl and looked above me._

_Sure enough there was a whole pack of Flyboys above me, diving down with guns in their hands. I cursed and ripped my wings open. I winced as my right seared in pain from the amounts of wounds and bruises were there from the School's experiments on me._

_I hissed but shot up anyway, sending the Flyboys into a rapid confusion._

_"That all you got suckers?" I sneered, "My grandma fights better than you!" I didn't have a grandma (alive or known) but they didn't need to know that. Plus, what with their metal for brains (literally) I would be surprised if they even knew my name. And I'm the one their hunting!_

_They looked at me and narrowed their eyes. They sped up and followed me as I dove into the forest and weaved through the tricky woods. I kicked into overdrive and started flying at over 175 mph._

_I smirked as I heard their howls as they ran into trees and or were torn to shreds by the sharp edges. I reached into my worn leather jacket and grasped one of the bombs I was able to swipe when I sneaked into the Flock's camp. The flashback started as I remembered my risky mission._

_-Flashback-_

_I quietly crept through the woods and made my way to the Flock's camp. I transformed into Iggy and kept walking deeper into the forest._

_I reached their camp and saw Fang on watch. I gulped and crept towards Iggy, hidden by the shadows. Thank god he could be a deep sleeper, I thought as I dragged his unconscious body towards a tree. I flew up and gently placed him on a branch and flew down._

_I added some disheveled hair, blind looking eyes, bags under my eyes and walked over to Fang, dragging my feet and yawning._

_Fang looked over at me and I prayed he wouldn't see through my acting, "Hey man, I got this." I said sleepily._

_He knit his eyebrows together and for a second I thought he figured me out but instead he said," Okay have fun Igster." and walked off and plopped down next to Angel who looked like she had cried herself to sleep. My heart panged as I realized it was probably because of me._

_I shook my head, telling myself to keep a clear head as I took my spot on the perch and waited for Fang to fall asleep. As I waited I let my thoughts wander just a bit._

_It felt wrong to be with my Flock as Iggy, I wonder why. It felt wrong knowing I just had to steal some bombs and leave. It felt wrong knowing that I couldn't stay and tell them I was alive and sorry and everything will be alright._

_I wanted so badly to go up to them and shale their sleeping bodies awake and tell them not to worry, but I couldn't, not today, not tomorrow, not anytime soon._

_Itex was still running and mutating poor children who haven't even gotten past the embryo stage. I couldn't return back to the Flock without defeating Itex first._

_I left to resolve a fight and now I directed all my attention to defeating the monstrosity that made us what we are today._

_I heard Fang's heavy snores and had to bite back a laugh. He always had a funny snore. I studied making sure he was asleep and then when I was sure he was asleep, I got up and crept towards Gazzy and his stuff._

_I grabbed my burlap sack that was hanging out of my back pocket and shoved as many bombs in there as I could._

_I eventually ran out of bombs in Gazzy's pack so I moved to Iggy's. I continued stuffing the bag, while trying to be as quiet as possible._

_I didn't want to steal my Flock's protection but I'm sure if I made a bomb, I would end up in a hospital. Hm... Maybe Iggy and Gazzy could make bombs that were made of my cooking..._

_When I come back, I'll run that idea by them._

_When I come back..._

_I filled up my bag and started to head out. I was almost out of the area when my sensitive ears picked up Fang mumbling in his sleep._

_"Max... Don't... Leave... Please... Come... Back..." he murmured. I felt my heart breaking._

_I hurt him so bad. Then I got an idea. I transformed back and walked over to Fang. I was__so__going to regret this._

_I crouched down by his sleeping figure and pressed my lips to his gently._

_His eyes fluttered open and I pulled away._

_"M-Max?" He slurred sleepily._

_"Sh, go back to sleep, everything will be fine." I said, brushing his hair out his eyes._

_"Don't go." He said sleepily. I looked at him and he read my eyes. He understood I would leave no matter what._

_"You know I have to, I'll be back one day though." I murmured to him._

_"At least stay for a while." He responded becoming more aware._

_I sighed, "Fine, but you are going to sleep mister." I said, pushing him back down when he tried to sit up._

_He chuckled, "Still as commanding as ever." He looked me in the eyes and said, "You're going to leave as soon as I fall asleep aren't you?" I nodded solemnly. He sighed._

_"I'm sorry for everything Fang but right now I've got a mission to finish. I promise you I'll be back... Eventually." I said kissing his forehead._

_"Mm, why did you come back?" He asked, growing drowsier by the second._

_"I needed supplies." I replied, not giving too much away._

_"Mm, why didn't Iggy hear you?" Fang asked. I swore internally, of course he would ask that._

_"I was really quiet." I lied. I bit my lip, hoping he wouldn't catch it. Too bad he did._

_"You're lying. I can tell, I'll let it slide for now but I will get it out of you when you come back. Right now tell me what you have been up to." He said, smirking. He closed his eyes and put his hands behind his head._

_I chuckled, "You know the usual." I replied._

_"Saving the world?" He asked, not opening his eyes._

_"Yup and before you ask, you and the Flock are not helping me, you guys just need to focus on staying alive and possibly settling down." I ordered, giving him a stern look, even though it was wasted on him because his eyes were closed._

_"You're giving me the look aren't you?" He asked amused._

_"Yup, now do you understand me?" I asked seriously, I didn't want them getting hurt._

_"We can take care of ourselves you know Max." He replied._

_"I know but I news to do this by myself, its complicated Fang. I'll tell you one day." I said, "And by the way, I'm sorry about before." I added, referring to our fight._

_"Mm..." He trailed off, finally falling to sleep. I smiled and kissed him very lightly._

_"Sweet dreams Fang and no one needs to know about this." I said quietly, knowing he somehow heard it_

_I got up, grabbed the bag and began to run through the woods and took off._

_-End Flashback-_

_I smiled at the thought of Fang and I's conversation, but I brought back to reality at the sound of a Flyboy calling my name._

_I grasped the bomb tighter and waited for the right moment. When the Flyboy was nearer, I threw the bomb and it blew up, the explosion larger than I thought it would be._

_Damn, I used one of the more dangerous ones; I needed to save those for the buildings. How was I supposed to know which was which? They all look the same!_

_The only good thing was that t blew up five more Flyboys, though it burned me a bit, not too much because I had the audacity to duck and cover myself with my wings._

_I got up and looked around; using my heat vision to look for any heat masses that looked like Flyboys. I saw none, though I did see a human one._

_I narrowed my eyes and walked towards the human heat mass. The mass looked pretty human except for the fact it had a tail and pointed cat ears._

_I crept behind towards and peered over the tree the mass was hiding behind. I saw a girl, probably thirteen or twelve, with strawberry blonde hair, sharp cat-like facial features, tan skin, piercing green eyes that could be mistaken for yellow and a small clump of freckles._

_She hadn't seen me so I studied__her a bit more before making my approach. She was a cat mutant because she has a grey thin tail coming out from her rear and fizzy grey ears on top of her head. I could also see outlines of whiskers poking out from her face._

_She was a runaway experiment. I decided to make my approach now._

_I walked out from behind my tree and tapped her shoulder. She jumped and spun around, throwing a kick at my jaw which I dodged._

_"Who are you? Are you one of__them__?" She hissed at me, narrowing her eyes murderously._

_I scoffed, "__Please__they wish I was one of them. Nope, I'm like you, I'm an 'experiment'." I said, using air quotes around the word 'experiment'._

_"Prove it." The girl asked, crossing her arms defiantly. I liked this girl._

_"Okay." I said casually and spread out my bruised, burned and bloody wings._

_She gasped, "You're one of those famous bird mutants."_

_"Uh huh." I said, raising an eyebrow at her._

_"Which one are you? I don't remember the names." She asked._

_"Max." I replied and she covered her mouth._

_"You're the famous Maximum Ride?" When I nodded she continued, "So you're the one the geeks at the School kept bitching about."_

_I smirked, "They bitch about me?" I asked proudly. She nodded fearfully, as if she said something wrong._

_"Don't be scared, kid. That's a good thing. That means I'm doing my job. Now care to tell me who you are?" I asked, narrowing my eyes. She could be a double agent for all I know._

_"I'm Sarah. I'm thirteen, I'm 3% cat as you can see, and I was tortured throughout my life at the School." She said. I nodded and studied her, her little speech sounded a bit rehearsed. I turned on my heat vision and smirked. A small rectangular box was on her waist, a wire trailing up her body and going to her ear and a minuscule mic at her neckline._

_I knew because they were green, meaning they were inanimate. So we got us a little spy do we?_

_I grinned and lunged at her, pinning her against a nearby tree._

_"What the hell are you doing?" She screeched at me, seeming pissed._

_"I see why they picked you; you're good at faking facial expressions." I stated, turning her around and tying her hands up. I held both her hands with one of mine and the proceeded to rip the spy devices off of her._

_"They really are getting sloppier." I tsked._

_"How did you know?" She asked carefully._

_"Wouldn't you like to know?" I snapped at her. My blood boiled at the thought at what the whitecoats could have used to bribe her._

_"Well what are you going to do now?" She asked coyly. She knew I didn't have the heart to kill a fellow mutant._

_I mustered up my fiercest glare and glared at her, causing her to flinch away. Good she should be scared, "You're going to be my little messenger. I want you to go back to those demons and tell that I__will__take them down. I__will__stop them and no amounts of spies are going to stop me. They__will__fall and I'll be there to laugh at them. The end for is coming and they better watch out." I snarled at her, true fear coming into her eyes. She nodded and I pushed her onto the ground and she cried out in pain as she landed awkwardly on her arm._

_"That's for being on their side." I spat at her and I took off, leaving her to deliver the message. I kept my heat vision on as I flew away._

_I usually wouldn't be so cruel and wicked to experiments but my patience was running thin. They kept sending experiment spies out to get me, my stomach churned at the thought of how many are on their side, the same people who had to go through what I went through, the only other people I can sympathize with._

_And I had to destroy every single one of them._

I woke up with a start, sweat dripping from my arms. I took a shaky breath, transformed (Damn Flock for moving next door) and crept downstairs to grab a glass of water. I flipped the light on and turned the faucet, putting the glass cup under it.

I hadn't dreamt of my days alone on the run in so long. At first, they were recent, but then I fell into the routine of things here and they went away. Now they were back and I had a feeling they would keep coming.

**Short yeah I know but at least I'm giving you something! School started. I think that should cover up why I haven't updated in a while. Since this is short chapter I want ten reviews!**

**RnR!**

**And maybe just maybe… If I get 25 reviews I might add in a kiss somewhere next chapter! ;)**

**P.S. Damn, do you know how hard it is to carry five separate conversations with four different people at the same time? Very hard I say!**

**P.S.S. I got more cookies :D :D :D**

**P.S.S.S. That was seven-ish pages! I don't think that's **_**too **_**bad.**

Beta AN: Hey guys. Sorry it took so long. Totally my fault. Don't blame your amazing author. Totally not her fault. All mine. I take full blame. Anyway, enjoy

-VivaLaKatee

**-glares at Viva- Ignoring your little note there saying it's your fault (which it's not! I took a long time to write this!) You guys must blame me! Well, actually blame school. It's a bitch. There's your explanatiion, for both of us okay? Anyway, I thought you guys hsould know that updates will be coming out _way _slower than usual because like I said before, school is a bitch. Sorry, I'm like pissed off right now so my language isn't that great. Anyway, I just htought you should know.**

**Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. I'm working on the next one. . . I think I am at least. **

**RnR?**

**I think that's everything . . . OH MY GOD I GOT SON OF NEPTUNE! :D :D :D :D :D :D Be jealous. XD**


	15. Chapter 15 It's Winding Down Now

**Hey guys, I'm back, sorry for disappearing on you guys, I just had a lot on my plate. Anyway, it's summer plus I'm going to Boston for one or two weeks where I'm going to be stuck n a hotel room everyday, so you can expect lots of writing on my part.**

**Also a shoutout to xXimmortalXx for being our 200th reviewer! I love you! **

**And I want to say thank you to all my vieweres/reviewers/followers who read my story, review it, favorite it and follow it even though I'm terrible at updating. I love you guys all, seriously. If I met you in person, I would hug you. And I hate hugs. That's how much I love you. Thanks for being patient with me.**

**Disclaimer: Do I own? Nothing except a brand new laptop (which is another reason why I can finally write again).**

* * *

><p><em>You know what sucks?<em>

_Spiraling down towards Earth, accelerating at a rate of 9.8 meters per second squared with a shot wing, possibly broken arm and I could definitely feel a concussion coming on._

_Backing up a little bit, I honestly should have seen this coming. I mean honestly, Flyboys without guns? That's like a quiet Nudge or a happy-go-lucky Fang, in other words, impossible. So really, it's not surprising that when I faced off against ten Flyboys, with little to no bombs left, I got shot._

_Suddenly, that last thought ringing through my mind, it all went black._

_. . ._

_When I woke up, I was in a damp cave, propped up against the wall, which was digging into my back quite uncomfortably. I groaned and lifted my head up, which__instantly brought on multiple waves of pain which racked through my body. I let out a shocked gasp, what the hell happened to me?_

_Before I could even try to comprehend what had happened to me, a boy- what the hell was a boy doing in a cave?- was by my side, his expression emotionless, but being with Fang for years I could see the concern in his eyes._

"_You're up, that's surprising, I was not expecting you to be up for another two or three days. That was a pretty nasty fall you took there. Your wing was already shot from the Flyboy's gun and you had a small concussion from the fight but your fall broke your arm and sprained your other wrist. Though the impact of the crash should have cracked your skull wide open, even a mutant like us couldn't have survived that fall, but you did." He said._

_Being in the state that I was at the moment, I did the most intelligent thing I could manage, I blinked, "W-What?" 'Like us'? What the hell did he mean, 'like us'? And how in the world did he know about Flyboy's? My head swirled with all the questions that his explanation brought on._

_I finally managed to choke out a sarcastic remark, "You do realize an explanation is supposed to answer questions, not create them?" I choked out. My throat was burning for water and it felt so scratched up and dry._

_His eyes showed slight traces of surprise, "And you can talk-"Of course I could talk, I am obviously some part human! "Your healing rate is much faster than mine, which is already pretty fast. Here drink some water." He said, holding out a flask for me to take. I eyed it for a moment before he said, "It's not poisoned." He said an eyebrow raised._

_Usually, I would need more proof but in my dehydrated, banged up state, that was all I needed. I reached out- ignoring the screaming pain in my hand- and took the flask. I gulped down the whole thing easily in less than a minute._

_I wiped my mouth, "Sorry." I said, referring to how I had just drank what was presumably all of his water._

_He nodded, "It's okay, there's a fresh stream nearby." He replied taking the flask from my hand and placing it beside the rest of what I assume were his supplies._

_My healing process was already kicking in, I could feel my body repairing myself but I knew I was too weak to take on this guy. I was slowly becoming more aware of the situation I was in and my surroundings. My clothes were torn- surprisingly not very much- and the cave we were residing in was very small, barely large enough to hold us and his supplies._

_The boy himself looked to be around 17 or 18 and had chestnut brown hair that fell below his ears. With my slightly blurry vision, I could vaguely make out some freckles across the bridge of his nose. His eyes were a very light green and I could notice his dimples from a mile away._

_I guess he noticed my growing awareness and decided to explain himself, "I guess it's time to explain-"Ya think? - "I found you out by the stream that I mentioned. I was out to get some more water for myself when I saw you lying there and damn, you were a mess. You were lying in puddle of blood and your wing was all dislocated with a bullet wound in it._

_I'm not going to lie, I was going to leave you there- Hey don't give me that look! I'm not the sympathetic type, okay? You can thank the School for that. You know what the School is right? I'm just assuming because of the wings, you know? I'll take that as a yes. I'll explain my part with that in a moment._

_Anyway, as I was saying, I was going to leave you there but then I heard those damned Flyboys coming. Even I couldn't leave you to the Flyboys. If there were Flyboys that meant they wanted to take you back to the School and I wasn't going to let that happen. Even I'm not that heartless._

_Anyway, I hauled your ass to this cave and kept you alive. I took out that bullet from your wing- by the way you still have to apologize for biting my arm when I tried to do so, unconscious or not, it still hurt like hell- and took care of your arm and wrist. There wasn't much I could do about your concussion but I still managed to get food and water into your digestive system. This is the part where you thank me, you know." He finished, looking expectantly at me._

_To say I was shocked would be an understatement, "Uh thanks I guess, and sorry about the arm." I said finally. Something told me that he wasn't lying whether it was the fact that he practically foamed at the mouth at the mention of the School or the fact that his speech sounded completely natural and his heart rate was normal when he said it- you know they're laying when their heart rate picks up-, I believed him._

_He nodded, "Yeah no problem, now my turn for some answers, who are you exactly. Even for a mutant, the impact from the crash should have cracked your skull clean into two pieces. How is your head still one piece?" He asked._

_I scoffed, wincing slightly after I did so, "Way to be blunt, but I honestly have no idea. If you're a mutant as you claim to be, than like you said I should be dead. But I'm not. Go figure, it must be some new mutant power of whatever the hell." I said._

_He looked confused, "You're not confused that you didn't?" He asked._

_I looked at him with a raised eyebrow, "Have you looked at me? I can barely talk; I think that's the least of my problems at the moment. But onto more serious things, who are you?" I countered._

_He shrugged, "A mutant, like you." He said simply._

_I simpered, "Hey buddy, news flash, you're going to have to say more than that."_

_He sighed, "Very well, I'm an avian-hybrid, like you but at the same time, not. I know it sounds confusing but that's how it is. By the looks of it, you have eagle DNA, am I right? I have sparrow DNA. It makes us slightly different. Don't ask me how, it just does." He explained._

_I nodded slowly, "You know what I'm going to ask next, right? To prove that you are who you say you are." I said._

_He sighed, "I know. That's the other thing, usually I wouldn't tell you think but I know you'll figure out eventually, I can read minds." He said and with that he spread out his brownish-grey wings. They were quite pretty actually, they were large- they were also cramped in this small cave, half__of his wings__were still folded- and they had miniscule specks of white littering them._

_Then I realized what he had said, "Whoa wait mind reader? Are you serious? There's another one?" I exclaimed quite shocked._

_I could tell he was, too, "Another one? You mean you know another mind reader?" He asked._

_I looked at him suspiciously, "Yeah, I knew another one." I said, not willing to talk about Angel._

_He tucked in his wings and sat back, "Wow, I thought I was the only one, what is she like?" He asked, slightly excited._

_I held up my hands, "Slow down cowboy, I'm still in a world of pain at the moment. Question and Answer time is now officially over, at least until I more get more rest." I said._

_He looked disappointed but he complied, "Right sorry, name's Toby by the way."_

_. . ._

I shot up in my bed, sweat starting to form on my forehead. It had been months since the dream of the cat-girl and the nightmares continued to plague me at night. They usually left me little to no sleep at nights but some nights, I was blessed enough not to have a single dream. I usually woke up those mornings in a very good mood.

I'm surprised it took this long for the memory of meeting Toby to come up. He was the mind reader I traveled with when I was trying to take down iTex. He had become the closest thing to a best friend I had had during those hard times.

I swung my legs over the side of my bed and quickly transformed, with the Flock still next door, I couldn't risk it. Yes, they hadn't left yet and nothing had progressed much. I had gotten closer to the rest of the Flock but my relationship with Fang had not improved since our failed attempt at the park.

It was agonizing, seeing him practically every day near the Flock and not being able to hold conversations with him like I used to, to be with him the way I used to, things had changed between us, I still loved him, yes, but I wasn't sure if the feeling was mutual anymore.

I sighed and looked over at the alarm clock, it showed '11:48 AM'.

_'Damn' I thought, 'That was a very long dream._'

I got up and walked over to my drawer, picking out a New York City crop top with a grey tank top underneath and some ripped skinny jeans and quickly changing into it, I brushed my teeth and hair, applied some lip gloss, mascara and eyeliner. I put on some feather earrings, black bracelets and an 'Infinity' necklace and walked downstairs to see Ella and Mom sitting at the counter, getting ready to eat lunch.

"Afternoon Max, you slept late." Mom said, handing me a plate.

I yawned, "Sorry, it was another dream." I explained, sitting down at the table.

"What was it about this time?" Ella asked, sitting in the chair next to mine.

I shrugged, "Meeting Toby." I told her. She nodded, remembering the stories I told her of Toby and me.

"So what are you girls doing today?" Mom asked, placing sandwiches on our plates.

Ella's shoulders slumped, "Absolutely nothing isn't that depressing? It's a perfectly good Saturday and I have no plans whatsoever! My social life has been killed." She exclaimed, a tad bit too overdramatic.

I rolled my eyes, "Ella, it's not the end of the world; you can join in on my plans!" I suggested.

She narrowed her eyes, "Max, your plans are to sit and rot in front of the TV like every other Saturday." She said seriously.

"What? It's a perfectly good plan!" I defended.

Both Mom and Ella sighed, "Max, why don't you go and do something with the Flock?" Mom suggested.

Ella nodded, "Yeah that would be a good idea and it's certainly better than rotting brain cells." She said, taking a bite of her sandwich.

"Because that would involve seeing Fang which I could do without until 2000 and never." I said like it was the most obvious thing in the world, which it should be at this point.

"Max, you can't avoid him forever." Mom said sternly.

"I can sure as hell try." I mumbled, taking a bite of my sandwich.

Mom sighed, "And what? Let him believe that Max is still missing and that Vy probably hates his guts?" She pointed out.

Darn, I hate it when she's right.

"Max, she's got a point, you said you would tell them when you're ready. It's been months, when will you be ready? They're getting tired of this game, I can feel it, sooner or later they're going to leave Arizona and keep looking for you, even though they would have missed you." Ella said.

I really hated it when they were both right.

"I know, I know, I really should tell them." I admitted, finishing up my sandwich and taking another one from the plate that Mom had placed on the table.

"You should tell them but does that mean you will?" Ella asked, taking another sandwich and getting up, "I'm going to go so see if Chelsea wants to go the mall." She said, walking out of the kitchen.

"Since when did she become Dr. Phil?" I grumbled.

"Well someone has to." Mom said.

I sighed, placing my head in my hands, "I guess." I said, frustrated. I know I should tell them, I could feel our time slipping, soon they would realize that Ella has no connection to Max- which she really does- and leave. They may have grown to love their lives in Arizona but I know that most of them still wanted to find me more.

But if I told them, how would they react? They could be either furious- okay it was a given that they were going to be furious- but would they get over it? I wouldn't admit it out loud, but I was scared out of my wits they wouldn't forgive me.

Just then the doorbell rang, "Vy honey, would you get that?" Mom asked, switching into acting mode.

"Sure Mom." I said, getting up and walking over to the door. I opened it to see a beaming Nudge.

"Hi Vy, how's it going? You look like you just got up? Did you just get up? It's noon! How could someone sleep that late? I was always a morning person; I can't sleep past nine if my life depended on it. Anyway I was just wondering if you wanted to do something with us today because we have no plans.

If you have other plans with Sunnah and Tara that's okay, too, I guess we can think of something. But it would be really fun if we could do something together, you know? We haven't hung out in like forever!

Fang says you're avoiding him but I was like, 'Vy? Avoiding you? Please she wouldn't be that desperate!' But are you avoiding him? Because if you are we can like kick him out of the house. All he does is sit around and mope anyway, though it's not anything unusual. That's what he wo-"I cut her off there.

"Nudge, shut up." I said, smiling at her weakly.

She blushed, "Sorry, I did it again didn't I? I just get so carried away and one thing leads to another and I'm just going to stop while I'm ahead." She said, closing her mouth when she saw the look I was giving her.

"That's a good idea." I said.

"So you want to do something?" Nudge asked once more.

I shrugged, I had nothing else to lose and nothing better to do, and "Sure, do you mind if I call Sunnah and Tara, too?" I asked, slipping on my shoes.

Nudge beamed, "Of course!" She exclaimed.

I smiled, "Okay let me go give them a quick call and then I'll come on over, 'kay?" She nodded and walked back over to their house. I quickly gave Sunnah and Tara a call and they agreed to come over. I grabbed my sunglasses and put them on and walked over to the Flock's house, ignoring the butterflies that were having a fiesta in my stomach at the thought of seeing Fang.

I took a deep breath, pushed my sunglasses up onto my head and knocked on the door. Of course Fate just loves to torture me because Fang opened the door.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, monotone.

I rolled my eyes, "Hello to you, too Mr. Sunshine." I remarked. He just kept a blank expression, "Can I come in? Nudge invited me over." I asked. He just grunted and stepped aside.

"Thanks." I muttered, stepping past him. He closed the door and without even looking back, he walked up the stairs and slammed his door shut.

I winced, "Damn, I messed things up." I said quietly.

"Vy!" A voice said and next thing I was being tackled by a head of blonde curls.

I stumbled back, "Whoa, hey there Angel." I said, chuckling and patting her head,

"I haven't seen you in so long, you never come over anymore!" She said and my heart melted. Even at nine years old, she was still my baby.

I sighed, "I'm sorry sweetie, I've been busy." I said.

She put her hands on her hip, "Yeah avoiding Fang!" She said.

"Is it that obvious?" I asked playfully.

"Vy, you refuse to stay in the same room as him, it's about as obvious as a lion in a street full of traffic." She said. I just stuck my tongue out at her which she gladly copied.

"Is that Vy I hear? Or is my hearing also failing me?" Iggy said dramatically, emerging from the kitchen with an apron tied around his waist.

I rolled my eyes, "Yes Iggy, its Vy."

"Vy, you've returned to us!" Iggy cried, giving me a bone-crushing bear hug.

I gasped for breath, "Ack- Iggy- can't- breathe!" I said.

He let go of me and set me down, "Sorry Vy, but I can't help but miss your sarcastic remarks. I mean no one snaps at me anymore! What fun is being stupid when no one snaps back at you?" He said dramatically.

I rolled my eyes, "I'm sure Fang does enough of that." I said.

He scoffed, "Please all he does is sit in his room doing God-knows what!" He said, "Half the time, we forget he's even in the house!" He explained.

My eyes widened, "Damn, should I say something to him? I feel terrible." I said, honestly concerned.

Iggy patted my back, "We all tried Vy, nothing really works." I felt so bad, this was all my fault I knew it, I can't believe I hurt him that bad. I may be avoiding him but I sure as hell don't want him to hate me, which he might, considering everything that has happened between us.

"Iggy, it can't hurt to try once more. I'm done with this; I'm going to go talk to him." I said.

He shrugged, "It's your death wish." I nodded and walked up the stairs to Fang's room.

. . .

"Knock, knock." I said, poking my head into Fang's room. His room was painted grey with a plain bed pushed up against the corner. There was a desk with his laptop on it- when will that thing break? - And papers. Mounted on the wall opposite his bed was a TV and a stereo system. His closet was next to the TV and a door led to what I presumed to be the bathroom next to his bed.

Fang looked surprised, "What are you doing up here?" He asked. He was sitting on his desk chair, working on his laptop, no surprise there.

"We need to talk." I said, letting myself into his room.

He scoffed, "Yeah, because we've been doing so much of it lately."

I narrowed my eyes, "I'm sorry for avoiding you, okay? But I'm just as confused as you are." I snapped.

He spun his chair around, facing me, "I highly doubt that."

I scowled and crossed my arms over my chest, "Look Fang, I know things have been rough between us, but I don't want to continue on this way. Avoiding you takes too much energy and I don't like it." I admitted. He just stayed silent and I took this as my queue to continue.

"I don't want you to hate me, I know you've been through a lot, don't ask how I know, I just do. I know I hurt you and I'm sorry." He still didn't say anything, "Please say something." I begged silently.

He decided to say something, "I'm not upset about what happened at the party, I understand why you did that, I'm upset because you were avoiding me."

"And I'm sorry, Fang! But the thing is, I wasn't avoiding you because of what happened at the party either, I was avoiding you because-" I trailed off. I was really going to do this; I was going to tell him. I had to or things would get even more screwed between us.

"Because?" He asked, urging me to continue.

I was about to reply when the sound of a huge crash came from downstairs.

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><p><strong>Yes I just did that. R&amp;R?<strong>


	16. Chapter 16 The Showdown

**Writing frenzy!**

**This was a very hard chapter to write seeing as I have very little knowledge of fighting so please excuse me if any of the terms I used were used in the wrong way.**

**And boy, you guys were really upset about my cliffie last chapter. I feel evil(:**

**Thanks for all the reviews! I love you all to death!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, you can't prove anything!**

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><p>Fang and I shared a quick look before rushing downstairs. What stood before me possibly changed my life as I knew it.<p>

Standing on top of what used to be the east wall of the living room was a pack of Erasers.

Well shit.

"Where's Max? We know she's here, she can't hide from us forever!" One of the Erasers growled, walking over and starting to look through the house.

Well this can't get any worse.

"You! You know where Max is!" One of the Erasers suddenly cried, pointing to me.

Guess I spoke too soon.

Fang growled, "Don't involve her in this; she's not a part of this." He growled.

The Eraser narrowed his eyes, "Yes, she is more than you know." He snapped back.

The rest of the Flock came and stood behind Fang and I, ready to attack, fierce and determined looks on their faces. Even though it was highly inappropriate for the moment, but I couldn't have felt any more proud of them.

"What should we do Fang?" Nudge asked, readying a fist to punch the lights out of an Eraser. That's my girl.

He looked over his shoulder at her, "Wait for them to make the first move." He said then he turned to me, "Vy, get out of here. This has nothing to do with you." He ordered.

I narrowed my eyes, "Trust me Fang, it does." I said.

"What are you talking about? It doesn't!" He snapped back.

"Enough talk! Tell me where Max is, girlie." The Eraser commanded, stepping closer to me.

Fang's head snapped forward and he stepped in front of me, "Don't come any closer." He threatened in a dark voice. Even I was scared.

The eraser glowered, "Fine then, attack boys!"

And then all hell let loose. The Erasers lunged at us and the Flock sprang into action. Iggy immediately took on two erasers and suckered punched one of them. Nudge kicked one of the erasers in the guts, sending him crashing back to the ground. Gazzy and Angel teamed up and took on one Eraser. They both went in and punched the eraser in the face. He stumbled back, holding his now bleeding nose.

Unfortunately for me, five Erasers decided to pounce on me. I let out a strangled cry and jumped back. I got down on my hands and kicked the Erasers feet, sending them tumbling down. I picked up a nearby chair and swung at them, knocking two of them out but unfortunately breaking the chair. Whoops.

"Come at me fuzzball." I said, cracking my neck. I needed a good fight; it would help release all my frustrations.

Two of the remaining Erasers charged at me from opposite sides. I scoffed, that was the stupidest idea yet, I simply jumped up, and watched them as they crashed into each other.

"Idiots." I muttered. The remaining Eraser looked tough. Well as tough as you can look when you're obviously on steroids.

"You can't beat me. Where's Max? Tell me and I might let you live, barely but still alive." He threatened.

I scoffed, "Never." I said and with that I lunged at him. He glared and caught me by the waist and threw me towards the wall. I groaned as I hit the wall, slumping down to the ground. That one hurt.

He walked over to me, "It's your death wish then." He said, picking me up by the arm. He spun me around and threw me again.

"Vy!" I heard Fang yell from his battle with his Erasers. I hit another wall and I groaned once more. I looked at him to tell him I was okay. He looked doubtful but he understood.

I stumbled back onto my feet and glared, "Oh it's on now." I said. I ran towards the Eraser and just before I reached him, I jumped up over his body, grabbed his head and threw it forward. He stumbled forward and using his temporary moment of weakness I quickly swung out my leg and tripped him. He cried out as he fell down.

I smirked, "You know what they say, the bigger they are the harder they fall." I said, leaning over his body. Big mistake.

His hand shot up and grabbed me by the neck. I spluttered in surprise as he stood up and panted.

"This ends now, girlie." He said and began to tighten his grip on my neck. I struggled against his grip but it was too strong. I looked to the Flock for help but they were all too preoccupied to look my way. But they had all, at this point, whipped out their wings and were flying around. Looks like I was alone but I had nothing to lose as well.

I could feel the air slowly draining out of me and in one desperate attempt I spread out my wings- man, it felt good to do that, I hadn't done so in a while, they were beginning to seriously cramp up- and began to flap them. I flapped harder and harder until I was sure that if I was flying I would be going at 80 MPH. I sent a strong gust of wind towards the Erasers and he stumbled back, releasing me. I fell to the ground, gasping for air.

Fang decided to check up on me and his eyes widened in surprise, "Vy, you have wings?" He asked, shocked.

I looked up at him, "Told you I was a part of this." I said, smirking slightly. Suddenly my Eraser lunged towards me and both Fang and I let out a surprised cry.

"Dammit you just don't give up do you?" I muttered.

"Nope." He replied.

I sent a swift roundhouse kick towards his chest, which connected and sent him stumbling back a bit. He growled and reached for me, scratching me slightly across the face with his paws. I wiped the blood from my face and blew the hair out of my face. I charged towards him and just as I reached him, I ducked down and slid underneath him, grabbing his legs and pulling them forward with me. He yelped as he fell down.

I flew up and sped towards him and kicked him in the face. That was the last hit and with that he stumbled backwards a bit and finally collapsed, unconscious.

"Nice work." Fang said, materializing behind me.

I jumped, "Holy crap!" I shouted.

"No time for that, we have three Erasers coming our way." He said, nodding towards the approaching Erasers.

I nodded, "Right." I agreed. The Erasers lunged at us but we easily dodged them. I flew up and then I nosedived towards one of them. Just as I was about to crash into the Eraser, I grabbed his arms and flew horizontally. He yelped out in surprise as I flew faster. Finally, I slowed down and threw the Eraser towards the knocked out steroid one. He crashed into him and got up, holding his head. I raced towards him and kicked him in the gut.

He fell down to his knees; I grabbed his head and pulled it down towards my awaiting knee. My knee connected with his forehead and knocked him out. I looked back at Fang was struggling with two Erasers who looked like they were a part of steroids druggie group. I flew over to him and landed beside him.

"Need help?" I said, quickly punching one of the Erasers in the chest.

"Help would be appreciated." Fang replied, kicking one of the Erasers in the stomach, "And while I got you here, care to explain the wings?" He asked.

I simpered, "Not the best time, Fang." I said.

He sucker punched one of the Erasers and looked back at me, "I know that but when will there be a better time?" He asked.

I kneed one of the Erasers in the nuts, "I don't know, how about when we're not fighting Erasers!" I exclaimed.

He sent me a pointed look before high-kicking one of the Erasers. I suddenly got an idea and turned to Fang.

"Fang." I said and he turned towards me. I looked him in the eye and he understood what I wanted to do. Good to know he can still understand me. He instantly linked his arms through mine and we flew up in the air, kicking the Erasers as we went up. Then he unlinked his arms and turned around so that my back was to his chest. He pushed me down and I hurtled towards the Erasers. I turned to my side and landed on top of them, elbow first. One of them fell unconscious while the other just stumbled.

"Dammit why won't they just fall?" Fang muttered, flying down beside me.

I shrugged, "Beats me, I just got here." I said and he glared at me. The standing Eraser charged at us but he suddenly collapsed. Our eyes widened as we saw Angel fluttering behind the now unconscious Eraser with a frying pan in her hand.

"And you said Disney movies were pointless." She said, smiling proudly.

Fang looked shocked, "And I will never make that mistake again. Thanks Ange." He said, ruffling her hair.

"No problem, now go help Nudge, she needs it. " Angel said, pointing to Nudge who was struggling with four Erasers.

"Shit." I said, immediately flying to her side.

"Vy? You have wings?" She asked incredulously as I landed beside her and sucker punched one of the Erasers.

I nodded, "Yup, long story, I'll tell it later." I said. She looked like she wanted to say more but given our current she chose to shut her mouth and continue fighting. Good girl. I kicked down one of the Erasers and threw him towards the pile of unconscious Erasers.

"Vy, a little help over here!" Nudge cried. I turned around to find her and an Eraser in a hand lock. I rushed over and landed beside Nudge. I brought my foot down onto the Eraser's foot and dug my heel into his foot. He yelped and let go of Nudge, clutching his foot.

"Bitch." He said, glaring at me.

"Hey! Don't call her a bitch!" Nudge cried, before swinging at him and knocking him in the forehead. He groaned and fell down.

I smiled and patter her on the back, "Good job." I said and she smiled.

"Thanks but it's not over yet, we have two more." She said, motioning to the two remaining Erasers in our group.

I groaned, "When is it ever over?" I said. She grinned at me and we flew over to the last two Erasers.

"Let's just get this over with." I said and she nodded. We pulled our hands back and punched them with all our might and fortunately for us, they immediately fell down.

"Well that was easy." Nudge muttered.

I shrugged, "Must be younger than the rest." I suggested.

She nodded, "Probably," She turned to me, "So, wings?" She asked.

I groaned, "Yes I have wings, can we not talk about it?" I asked.

She put her hands up in surrender, "Whatever."

"Hey guys, a little help over here!" Iggy called to us. We looked over to see another bath of Erasers come in through the busted wall. Thankfully it was a small batch, consisting of only five Erasers.

"On our way!" Nudge called and we flew over to Iggy. The three of us stood shoulder to shoulder in a triangle as the Erasers circled around us.

"Why do I feel two pairs of wings?" Iggy asked.

I rolled my eyes, "Guilty as charged."

His eyes widened, "Holy shit!" He exclaimed.

"Yeah yeah Vy has wings." I muttered. Before he could reply, one of the erasers lunged towards me. I yelped and swung my right my leg in a counter clockwise direction, blocking the Eraser's attack. The Eraser fell clumsily to the ground, clutching his side. But of course being the stubborn bastards Erasers are, he got up and glared at me.

I scowled, these guys just won't give up will they? They've definitely gotten stronger since the last time I fought them. But then again the last time I had actually fought against one was little more than a year ago and back then I had bombs and other people fighting alongside me.

The Eraser charged towards me, swinging his leg out in attempt to trip me but I saw it and quickly reacted. I swung my arm and socked him in the jaw with a right uppercut. He cried out and stumbled back but he regained his footing and charged at me. Before I knew what was happening, he socked me in the jaw with brute force, sending me flying backwards towards the wall.

I cried out as my back hit the wall and my head made contact with the drywall. I moaned and slumped down to the ground.

"Vy!" Fang cried, quickly finishing off his Eraser and rushing to my side. He helped me sit up right, "Are you alright?" He asked, looking at me with eyes full of concern.

"What do you think?" I snapped.

"Sorry." He said, helping me stand on my feet. He threw my arm over his shoulder and wrapped his other one around my waist. He pulled me up and dragged me over to a still standing chair in the undamaged- surprisingly- kitchen and set me down.

"Sit here." He commanded giving me a very stern look and I just nodded. He went back and joined the fight again. I sat there in pain thinking. I was seriously screwed; those Erasers knew I knew where Max was. Well of course I knew where Max was because I am Max. But how did they know I knew where she/me is? How could they possibly know?

The only people who knew I am Max are my mom, Ella, Sunnah and Tara and they wouldn't tell anyone. Jeb also knew but I don't think he would tell anyone, at least I hope he wouldn't. But he's locked up in a jail cell in an orange jumpsuit picking up trash with only me allowed as a visitor. How could he have possibly spilled the beans?

But I guess it doesn't matter how they found I knew but what I'm going to do now that they know that I know where Max is if that makes any sense. I'm positive someone from the Flock heard me when I said that I was never going to tell them where Max is, meaning that they know that the Erasers were right in knowing that I know where Max is.

I'm seriously giving myself a headache now.

Anyway, should I tell them? I mean I was about to tell Fang before the Erasers attacked. So am I going to tell them after this is over? I looked outside the back door which was glass and saw that the Erasers didn't have any cars or vehicles so that means they walked here. That also meant that it would be very hard for them to take us. Why would they take us?

Maybe they would take us so that I would give in and tell them where Max /I are so I would get my friends back.

I took a deep breath; I am overthinking this way too much. Everything is going to be okay, the Flock will beat the Erasers like we always have and then I will tell them. I will, I kind of owe it to them at this point.

"So you think you can hide from us, don't you?" A voice said from behind me. I jumped off my chair, ignoring the pain and spun around. Standing in front of me was a very annoyed Eraser.

He grabbed me by the neck and lifted my up, choking me, "Now tell me where Max is or I'll kill you." He threatened.

I grabbed his hands and tried to make him release, "You wouldn't do that I'm the only one who knows where she is." I managed to choke out.

He glared at me, "Don't worry, we know there are other people who know where she is. We don't need you." He told me with a toothy smirk and with that he tightened his grip on my neck and I felt the air slipping out of my lungs. My lungs screamed for air as he kept tightening and I could feel my face go blue.

"Vy!" I heard someone from the Flock scream, I wasn't sure who, there wasn't enough oxygen getting to my brain at the moment. I began to feel lightheaded and my vision swirled. Since when were there two Erasers choking me? Suddenly a figure tackled the Eraser and he let go of me. I fell to the ground and collapsed from the lack of air.

And then it went black.

I woke up with the five faces of the Flock staring down at me completely shocked. I moaned and looked up at them, taking in air in huge breaths.

I looked at them quizzically, "Why are you looking at me like that?" I choked out.

"Max?" Fang said, confusion written all over his face. I paled and looked down to see that I had transformed back to Max. I swore under my breath, I must have fallen unconscious.

I looked up at them with wide eyes, "I can explain."

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><p><strong>I'm evil. I enjoy this very much. R&amp;R? –cackles-<strong>

**(P.S. Like the story cover? I made it myself, well photo-shopped is the correct term but whatever:P)**


	17. Chapter 17 Her Story

**-gasps- What's this? An update? I fear it is! What shall we do? Well we're going to read it of course! Here it is, the the chapter we've all been waiting for. The truth comes out! **

**Disclaimer: Nope. **

**NOTE: School will be starting in two weeks so then I'll be thrown into a shitload of work so be prepared. I'll try to squeeze in another update before school starts.**

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><p>We had moved ourselves to the remains of the kitchen. I sat on one of the chairs for the dining table, with a glass of water in front of me. Fang was leaning against the broken kitchen counter, his arms crossed and his face expressionless. Iggy was to his right, his posture and expression the same. Angel was the only one sitting at the table with me, she had her hands in her lap and she was staring at me expectantly. Nudge and Gazzy were standing by the back door nervously, not really sure what to do next.<p>

I cleared my throat, "I guess I have some serious explaining to do." I said awkwardly. The Flock gave me a look that said, 'Duh'.

I took a sip of my water, "I don't know where to start." I admitted, looking down at the glass of water. There was a thin layer of condensed water on the glass and little droplets of water began to run down the side of the glass.

Fang spoke up, "Where were you this whole time?" He asked with no emotion in his voice.

I cringed, "The whole two years or the whole time you were here?" I asked.

Iggy answered for him, "Both." He said bitterly.

I nodded, "After I uh- left you guys. I went back to Colorado," Their faces were confused, "I don't know why I went there, something just pulled me there. I went back to the E House and just kind of stood on the spot where it used to be." I told them. They didn't say anything.

I continued, "I saw Iggy's old bed, it was charred and broken. I don't know why but I got so angry at the whitecoats, I was just so _furious_. I vowed right then and there that I would destroy them, every last one of them. So I started my mission to down iTex.

At first I was alone; I took down one or two School buildings by myself. It was really easy at first but then it got tougher. They knew I would be coming so they amped up their security by tenfold. There were Flyboys and Erasers everywhere and the buildings themselves were booby-trapped. After that, I barely got out of there alive. I needed help. I wanted to go back to you guys to get help, I really did." I said.

Gazzy cut in, "Then why didn't you?" He asked curiously.

I sighed, "Because I didn't want you guys to get hurt." I said plainly.

Nudge grew a bit angry, "Max, we're not small anymore. We can handle ourselves!" She exclaimed.

I looked down, "I know that Nudge, I do. Still, I didn't want you guys to get hurt anyway. If I could get hurt then so could you and I didn't want to bring you guys into that." I said.

Angel looked at me, "There's another reason." She pointed out.

I cringed, I was hoping she wouldn't pick up on that, "Yeah there was another reason, pride." I admitted, "I couldn't go back and deal with your anger at me. I couldn't go back and say I was _sorry._ I just couldn't." I said softly.

Fang snarled, "Well you should have, we searched for you _everywhere_. We spent days and nights flying from state to state, trying to find you. Do you know how many times I heard Nudge and Angel and Gazzy crying themselves to sleep because of you? Even Iggy wasn't himself. _I _wasn't myself." He growled at me.

I sat there and took it; I knew I deserved it anyway. He took a deep breath and calmed himself down once more before stepping away from me, "You hurt us Max, you couldn't suck up your pride and come back?" He asked bitterly.

I looked at him, "I did come back, once." I said shakily. I had to tell him.

The Flock look confused, "You came back? When?" Nudge asked very confused.

I took a deep breath, "Like I said, I needed help. I couldn't beat iTex by myself. So I tracked you guys down and . . . and I-"I couldn't bring myself to say it. How would they feel when they found out I had stolen from them? That I had stolen from my own Flock? If I could even call them that anymore.

Iggy finished the sentence for me, "You took our bombs." He said, looking at me with his pale eyes, like he could see straight through my soul.

I gulped and nodded, "Yes." I admitted, looking down as I felt a wave of guilt crash over me.

Gazzy looked shocked, "But how? Iggy was on watch, he should have heard you coming!" He exclaimed.

I shook my head, "Iggy wasn't on watch. I was." The Flock looked even more confused.

I began to explain, "In the time it had taken me to take down a few School buildings, I had gained two other powers, I could change my appearance to look like whomever I wanted and I gained heat vision. So that night, I was Iggy. I put Iggy in a tree and I transformed into him and took his shift." I explained.

"I know I hadn't fallen asleep in a tree." He grumbled.

Fang's eyes widened, "So wait a minute, that wasn't a dream?" He asked referring to how I had talked to him.

I shook my guiltily, "No, it wasn't."

Gazzy held a hand up, "Wait what wasn't a dream?" He asked.

Angel's eyes widened, "You talked to him didn't you?" She asked, venom seeping into her voice. I cringed and nodded.

She shot up, "You talked to _Fang_ but you didn't talk to the rest of us? You couldn't have spared us your time?" She all but screamed at me.

"I wanted to talk to you, I did but taking down iTex was my priority at the moment and talking to Fang wasn't even on my agenda that day. I had meant to just sneak it, get the bombs and sneak out but Fang had woken up in the middle and caught me. I just had to go along with it!" I said, my voice rising steadily.

Angel looked at me like she didn't even know me anymore, Nudge and Gazzy giving me similar looks. I felt like I had been stabbed in the stomach.

I took another deep breath, "Anyway, after I took the bombs, I was on my own for a while. I took down another School and was on my way to take down another. The thing is they kept sending other experiments like us but not like us at the same. They were under the control of the School. It was awful; I had to hurt them because I couldn't figure out how to save them. I felt so bad; the guilt would gnaw at me for days on end. Finally I found a way to disable the mind control but then they just started to blackmail and give ultimatums to the experiments.

At that point, I couldn't do much against them seeing as they were doing it out of their own free will. Usually, I would just leave them disabled for a day or two and then go on my way to the next School building." I was ashamed of what I had done to those mutants, but it was either me or them and I had a job to do.

I continue, "Along the way I met a few other experiments who were really good like us. There was Alicia, she was part cheetah. She didn't have any abnormal powers like us but she was a fighter and extremely fast. Then there was Orlando, he was supposed to be given wings but something went wrong as his wings ended up being clipped. He could teleport places. Then there was Toby." I said finally.

It was finally time to talk about Toby, "He was a mind-reader, like Angel. But his powers were more advanced, he could read minds, move objects with his mind, control people and sometimes he could create things, but not often." I paused for a moment, "He became like my best friend. We were close." I said.

I started to tear up at this point; I couldn't bring myself to say what happened next.

Nudge raised an eyebrow, "What happened?" She asked cautiously seeing as how I was about to burst into tears.

"He died." I choked out, before clasping a hand to my mouth to stifle a sob. I still remember that day like it was yesterday. I didn't want to remember it; I had locked it up in the back of my mind and tried so hard to forget it.

We were at a School, one of the last ones standing. Alicia and Orlando had split up with us, saying that we were in way over our heads. Toby and I were confident, this was one of the last Schools standing and they were getting hopeless often letting their guards down. We had let them go in understanding and went our separate ways. We then went into the School an almost foolproof plan in our minds.

The plan was simple, get the experiments, knock out whomever necessary and go to the control room. Turn off the power and get out of there as fast as possible and when we were fifty feet above the School we would bomb it. The only trouble would be any Erasers, Flyboys or M-Geeks they sent out ways but we weren't too concerned about them. We went ahead with our plan, perfectly executing most of it. Just as we had switched down the power, it all went to hell.

The School had anticipated our attack and had stocked up on guards, we were surrounded by more than fifty Erasers and we didn't know how many waited outside the door. There wasn't any light either, making things just a bit harder. We fought the Erasers and made it through the first batch of them. We managed to get out of the control room and into the sky. Then the M-Geeks attacked.

They were stronger than usual but we managed. The last M-Geek fell out of the sky and we floated for a few moments panting. We were battered, bloody and a mess. I could definitely feel some broken bone sin my body- it was a wonder that I was still flying- and my head was getting fuzzy. Toby was in a worse condition than me, his left arm was almost completely covered in blood and his shirt was torn up into little threads exposing multiple stab wounds and scratches. There were more but I couldn't stand to look at him.

He looked at me and nodded, I weakly brought out the bomb and using the last of my might, I threw it down at the School. Just as the bomb was about to reach a stray M-Geek shot out from behind us and tackled Toby to the ground. I let out a cry as he was sent spiraling down to the doomed School. I shot down to save him but just as I was about to reach the bomb blew. I barely made it out myself. I was severely burned from the explosion and in tremendous amounts of pain. I had to retreat to a nearby cave while I rested and healed.

It had taken about two weeks for me to be fully healed during which I had to haul myself around trying to get food and water. I couldn't stop thinking about Toby the entire time; I kept wondering if he was okay, where would he be right now if he was, what condition he was in. I couldn't help but feel guilty, I kept telling myself, I should've flown faster to save him, I should've reacted quickly and attacked the M-Geek by I just floated there and _screamed_. I felt like an idiot no matter how many times I reasoned with myself that even if I had reacted differently, Toby was still doomed. The M-Geek had attacked at the perfect time, we were injured and we had let our guards down and with the imminent explosion of the School it was the perfect opportunity.

Two weeks later, I had gone over to the remains of the School, trying to find any kind of sign that he might be alive. I had spent hours stumbling through wreckage and I ended up getting cuts, scratches and burns from debris. Finally I had found something.

His body.

He was dead.

I had collapsed next to him and cried for a long time. My friend was gone; the School had taken him away from me. I was upset, angry and sad. I could still remember exactly how I felt when I found him. When I got up, I had a renewed anger against the School and I had taken down iTex after that like an angry storm.

Sometimes, I still had nightmares about Toby but I didn't tell anyone- at times I wouldn't even admit it to myself that I had dreamt about him. They were too personal, I would dream that he would be by my side one minute- laughing and joking like we always did- and then the M-Geeks would attack. I've relived that memory through dreams countless times since that day. I would lie in my bed after that and think that maybe if I had done something different, maybe he would still be alive but I know that regretting won't bring him back.

Angel must have read my mind because when I looked up, her eyes were wide and scared. I immediately stopped tearing up, "Oh no Angel, why did you read my mind?" I asked softly, instinctively getting up and wrapping my arms around her. I stiffened up immediately and then pulled away, remembering that they were mad at me.

"Sorry." I mumbled before sitting back down.

She looked up at me, her eyes big, "I'm so sorry, Max." She whispered. I nodded gravely.

Everyone else look confused, "What just happened? Did we miss something?" Iggy cried out, aggravated.

Angel shook her head, "I don't think Max can tell us about it yet." She said softly. I was surprised by her defending me but I was grateful for it and I didn't say anything. I don't think I could bring myself to tell the story out loud.

Fang looked suspicious but seeing as both Angel and I weren't going to budge he sighed, "Fine, continue with your story." He said defeated.

I nodded, clearing my throat, "After Toby uh- passed, I took down the remaining Schools and eventually iTex itself. After I did that the Voice had said my mission was complete. I didn't know what to do then, I thought about going back to you guys. I thought about it a lot actually but I was too scared that you wouldn't accept me back so instead I came here." I said.

Fang raised an eyebrow, "Where does Vy come into all of this? Where did she go? How do you know her? What's the connection between you and her?" He asked, launching into a mini interrogation.

I gulped, "Vy isn't real." I admitted.

The Flock looked extremely confused, "What?" Gazzy asked.

I took a deep breath, "Vy isn't real, I made her up," I said slowly, "When I came here Mom and Ella insisted I get enrolled into normal school. I didn't want to go as Max, everyone knew Max from the news about iTex and I was nervous that you guys would find me and I wasn't ready for that yet, so I created Vy. I _am_ Vy. Every day I would transform into her using my ability." I explained.

They looked shocked and they were silent, processing this news.

Iggy broke the silence this time, "You mean to tell us, that the whole time we were looking for you, you were right here _under our noses the whole time?_" He asked incredulously, his voice a step away from screaming at me.

I closed my eyes and nodded, biting my lip, "Yeah pretty much." I said, scared to open my eyes and look at their angry faces.

Fang was the next to speak, "That's what Joey meant." He muttered under his breath. I'm assuming he hadn't meant to say that out loud because when our questioning eyes looked at him, he looked surprised that he had said that.

"Who's Joey?" Gazzy asked.

Fang brushed him off, "No one important." He said quickly.

Angel answered for him, "His Voice, he's called Joey." Angel said. I shrank back into the background, happy that the attention wasn't on me at the moment.

Fang then snapped his eyes towards me "Wait a minute, so you mean this whole time it was _you?_ Everything I've been through with Vy, it was really _you_?" He said as if just putting this together. I nodded guiltily.

He glared at me, "Were you ever planning on telling us this?" He snapped.

I looked down, "I was in fact planning on telling you the truth eventually. But Ella and Mom convinced me I had to tell you guys soon, they were right. When you guys first came, I was scared. I was nervous, frightened and worried what you're reactions would be. But as time progressed I just kept trying to push it off, trying to avoid it as long as I could. I was being selfish. I was going to tell you-"I was cut off by an angry Fang.

"When? When were you planning on telling us? When we had lost every last sliver of hope?" He yelled angrily.

I deserved this, I really did but I couldn't help the anger from bubbling up inside of me by instinct, "I was going to tell you today actually. I was about to tell you but then the Erasers attacked. You think this was easy on my part? That I could just go on my life easily knowing that you guys were right _next door_ and I couldn't be a part of your lives like I used to?

I was suffering just as much as you were! I was hurting, I was confused and I was scared. I may be stronger than your regular average human but I still am human, even if part of me isn't. I make mistakes, too. I'm not perfect and I'm sorry for that. I'm sorry that I put you through so much pain and misery. I'm sorry that I hurt you guys. I'm sorry that I couldn't be there for you guys when you needed me.

I'm sorry that I left you guys. I'm sorry that I didn't come back. I'm sorry that I was scared. I'm sorry that I was confused. _I'm sorry, okay?_" I said desperately, my anger dissipating as I went through my rant, instead the anger turned to despair as I felt the tears well up in my eyes once more. As I said the last part, my voice was hoarse and I slid down to the floor- I had stood up in the middle of my rant- and brought my knees to my chest, wrapping my arms around them.

The Flock was silent as the tears fell from my eyes silently. I shouldn't be crying like this in front of them. It was weak, I was being weak. But I needed to get it out of my system. All the feelings that I had been pushing away since their arrival, all of the feelings that I had been ignoring and denying suddenly came out. I knew I didn't act like it much when they first came but their arrival tore me apart inside. Seeing them again had taken all my mistakes and shoved them right back in my face.

I had tried to hide these feelings from everyone, including myself. I would always make it seem like withholding the truth from them hurt less than it really did when it reality it hurt _a lot. _

I tensed up when I felt a pair of arms wrap around me. I looked up and saw it was Nudge. Nudge, my little girl who loved to talk and was crazy about fashion. She was hugging me. I gratefully accepted her hug and placed my head on her shoulder, the tears still falling from my eyes.

"I'm so sorry." I whispered. I was sorry for everything, I had messed everything up. Everything had gone out of hand. I hadn't meant for all of this to happen, if only I could have gone back to them and then his whole mess wouldn't have been created. If I hadn't had that stupid argument with Fang in the first place, why couldn't I have accepted him back like everyone else? What right did I have to reject him?

I was being selfish then and I was being selfish now when I had refused to tell them truth about me. I had let them believe that Max was missing when she was really right there. I had let Fang fall for the wrong girl, knowing that he had liked another girl and the other girl being me. I had caused them so much pain and hurt, what right did I have to do that to them?

I felt awful, and now here they were bloody and bruised from a fight that was caused by _me._ Those Erasers were after _me_ not them.

"Oh Max . . ." Angel said before falling to her knees and engulfing me in a hug as well. I looked at her surprised, why was she hugging me?

She looked at me as if reading my mind- she probably did-, "I understand Max." She said, before burying her head in the crook of my neck, wrapping her arms around me. I sniffled and held her close. I felt another person join the hug and I looked to see Gazzy next to his sister, squeezing into the hug.

I heard Iggy mutter, "Oh what the hell, I have nothing else to lose." He said before joining in the group hug. I sniffled once more, wrapping my arms around a many of them as I could. I didn't deserve their forgiveness but they still gave it to me, I was truly grateful.

I looked up at Fang, wondering if he was going to forgive me or not. Even though I didn't say it out loud, his forgiveness was really important to me. I knew that out of all the Flock members, he had the most right not to forgive me. I didn't expect him to either but a girl can hope can't she?

Fang looked at me, his arms crossed and his face back to being expressionless. I could tell he was studying me and thinking of whether or not to forgive me or not. I didn't blame him if he didn't.

Finally he sighed, "You're an idiot Max." He said, before dropping to his knees and gathering all of us into a huge bear hug. The Flock let out a scream as Fang's added weight made us fall over to the side.

I raised an eyebrow, "Fang hugging people? I must've missed a lot." I said, trying in a weak attempt to lighten the mood.

Nudge answered me, "Oh my god, you did Max and I have to tell you all about it! There was so much that you missed! For one, we went to California and we dragged Fang to Disney Land and it was hilarious!" She said animatedly.

Fang gave her a playful glare, "You are not telling that story." He said.

Nudge huffed, "And why not? It's a perfectly good entertaining story." She said, glaring right back at Fang.

"Because I'm not going to relieve that!" He defended.

Angel smiled and whispered to me, "Don't worry I'll tell you." She said to me. I smiled at her. The Flock untangled themselves from the hug and got up, brushing themselves off. They looked down at me and smiled.

Iggy smiled, "Welcome back Max, we've been looking for you everywhere." He said, helping me up.

I felt a huge grin spread across my face and I gathered them into another hug, "Oh come here you guys!" I said, squishing them.

Fang was the first to separate from the hug, "Okay, now that we forgive you doesn't mean we're going back to being a big happy family again alright?" He said, looking at me. I was hurt but I didn't expect anything different.

What surprised me was when the Flock turned and yelled at Fang, "_Fang!"_ They yelled.

He jumped, "What I was just kidding." He muttered.

Iggy patted him on the back, "Leave the jokes to me, bro. You're a terrible comedian." He said bluntly.

Fang huffed, "Thanks for the boost of confidence." He said.

I smiled, I think things were about to get better now.

"_What the hell happened here?_" Tara's shocked voice came from the front of the house. They made their way to the back where we were standing and froze.

"Okay what did we miss?" They asked simultaneously, looking at us with wide eyes.

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><p><strong>Well Max did call Tara and Sunnah before she went over to the Flock's. I can't have them like die. <strong>

**So what did ya' think? Too emotional? Not emotional enough? Rave in reviews!**

**P.S. check out my new MR story _Maximum Ride: The Music Beats_. Please? I actually try to update that one! I'll love you forever if you do? **

**(Also if you love me, can you check out my tumblrs? The links are on my profile, you'll have my eternal love and cookies.)**


	18. Chapter 18 It's Been Three Years Waiting

**Look who's back! Me! *singing* I'm back! I'm back!**

**Not really. Whoops. Heh. Sooo school finally ended and I have **_**some**_** of my writing mojo back! Whoop whoop! Anyhoo, I apologize a million times for my lateness and for keeping you guys waiting for so long! It's just been crazy around here. I'm so sorry! But hopefully this chapter will make up for that! **

**Disclaimer: Maximum Ride and co. belong to James Patterson. Nope, not me. So don't sue me. Honestly, my mom took all of my money. That I took from her and forgot to give back to her. But she doesn't know that now does she? MWAHAHAHA. Wait I'm broke nevermind. **

**ONWARDS.**

**(Oh you guys are going to **_**so**_** love me for the ending *sarcasm*)**

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><p>"You guys just have a blast when no one's around, don't you?" Sunnah shot at us, while helping us sort through the debris.<p>

Iggy snorted. "S'not our fault we're so popular."

I rolled my eyes. "I wouldn't put it that way exactly," I corrected, picking up a piece of wood that was cracked and stained with blood. "Let's hope this wasn't supporting a couch or something," I said, wrinkling my nose. It was splintered and wrecked and using it probably would have led to splinters in some uncomfortable places. I tossed it in the big, black bag of garbage that was sitting in the middle of the room.

Nudge huffed and slid down the wall. "Honestly, can't we just toss everything and buy new furniture all together? Everything is basically trashed. It would save so much effort. I mean, it's not hard to sift through all of this junk, but honestly, everything is pretty much broken," she suggested.

"Nudge, would it really be practical to buy new furniture?" Fang asked her. She glared and stuck her tongue out at him, just as a loud crash echoed through the house. All our heads swiveled in the direction of the crash and we all tensed, anticipating a fight.

Our shoulders slumped when Tara peeked out from underneath the mound of curtains that had fallen on her. "Actually, new furniture might not be such a bad idea," Tara stated, trying to untangle herself from the torn and tattered curtains. Angel sighed and went to go help her.

Fang thought for a moment, and I turned to him. "Honestly Fang, it would probably just be better to get new furniture, unless..." I trailed off.

That feeling that I had, when they had forgiven me and we were sitting on the floor hugging? That feeling that everything will be alright? That feeling had long since evaporated, and the doubts began to cloud my mind as reality began to sink in. Two years. Two years gone; everything was _not_ going to go back to the way they were with a pat on the back. I didn't want to say it, because it's hard just thinking about it, but it was still a possibility.

They could be leaving. Assuming that their sole purpose for coming here was to find me, then they had completed their mission; there was no reason to stay. They'd probably try and get me to come with them, but I'd be torn because even though every cell in my body would be screaming, aching even, to go with them, I couldn't just up and leave Ella and Mom. Taking them with us would be too problematic, and leaving them behind would hurt. It wouldn't feel right, especially not after everything that has happened in those two years.

I'd want to go with them, of course. Settling down in one place had been hard - every bone in me was screaming to get out and run - but now that I had, it was going to be hard to leave; not just because of the lifestyle I now led but because of the people I had met. I could come back and visit them sure, but I would miss seeing them every day and honestly, waking up in a bed and having a hot shower with warm food wasn't so bad either.

I couldn't leave, but I couldn't lose them either. I didn't deserve their forgiveness but now that I had it, I didn't want to let it go.

Fang looked me dead in the eyes, "We're not leaving, not when we just found you. We're staying, we'll buy some new furniture and then it'll go back to the way things were, alright? I think it's time that maybe we settle down, what do you think guys?" Fang asked, turning to the Flock.

Iggy nodded. "I think I could handle that."

Nudge smile. "Finally!"

Angel and Gazzy let out similar nods of approval.

I turned back to Max. "I guess we're staying.

"We're not leaving? Sweet!" Gazzy exclaimed and pumped his fists in the air. I let out a thin smile, letting a small bit of hope grow in my chest.

Fang nodded, still looking me in the eyes. "Yeah Gaz, we're staying," he reassured, but the thing is I wasn't sure if he was reassuring Gazzy, himself, or me.

xXx

"You know we have to talk eventually, Max. You can't run away from this one," Fang whispered in my ear as we walked through the furniture store a while later.

I felt myself stiffen; I was dreading this conversation. "I know, but can't we do it later? When we're not surrounded by people?" I whispered back.

"Obviously." He snorted before returning his attention to some piece of furniture that was overly priced. I let out a sigh of relief as his head turned. I didn't want to have that conversation, but it was also killing me to find out the answers.

We needed to know where we stood after everything that had happened: The Fight, my departure, the two years (well it's actually closer to three years now that I think about it), everything that happened with _Vy_. Actually, I was a bit unnerved with how easily he had fallen for Vy and I knew that it was my fault, but the human part of me still has the majority of my genes so I couldn't help but feel a bit insecure.

And did I have reason to be insecure anymore? Are we still even in a relationship? Do we still want to be? Well I do, obviously, but does he?

All these new problems kept bubbling up to the surface of my mind as more time passed and it was driving me insane. And then there was that part of me that really didn't want to know the answers.

But you know, we'll just ignore both parts for now and focus on the pretty furniture.

xXx

The ceiling of the guest room in our house was painted a really ugly shade of blue, I had decided. I was lying down on my back on the queen-sized bed, waiting for Fang to finish drying his hair and come in here so we could talk. The Flock was staying in our house for the next few nights until their house was habitable once more. Angel and Nudge were bunking in Ella's room and Iggy and Gazzy had insisted on the couch bed because it was close to the kitchen and they've had this weird thing for the couch bed ever since we were on the run. So that left Fang with the guest room and he got it all to himself.

My thoughts were racing and my heart was beginning to pound in my chest when the door knob turned and the door was pushed open. Fang stepped inside, clad in a black wife-beater and boxers, and closed the door gently behind him.

"You're still here," Fang stated.

I sat up as I rolled my eyes. "It's my house, remember?" I replied.

He shrugged and sat down next to me. "I just thought you would've tried to avoid this talk for as long as possible," he said bluntly.

"Yeah well, people grow a lot in two years," I said.

Cue awkward tension falling from the heavens and settling itself in the air around us.

"Yeah they do," Fang finally replied, his black eyes piercing into my brown ones.

I cleared my throat. "Yeah, uh well, let's get talking shall well? I think that we should- You know maybe- Actually you- The ceiling is an ugly shade of blue, right? We should get it painted," I blurted out with the grace of a drunken deer.

I could tell by the slightly constipated look on Fang's face that he trying his best not to groan. "Max," he said sternly.

I pouted. "What? It _is!_" I replied defensively. Fang just gave me That Look.

I scowled. "Well old habits die hard, apparently," I muttered.

Fang snorted. "Then I'll start for old time's sake. Why'd you leave?" he asked bluntly.

"Why'd you come back?" I fired right back at him.

Fang narrowed his eyes. "We're not talking about me here."

I glared at him, and somewhere in the depths of my mind I could tell this was already starting to take a turn for the worst. "Because it led to my leaving," I answered.

Fang sighed, but his angry gaze never left. "I realized when I reached the next state that my leaving would have caused more damage than staying with you guys would have."

I gazed back with the same intensity. "Why'd you wait? You would've been in the next state by the next morning. You didn't come back for another three months."

"Like you, I have a problem with pride," I blinked, well that was blunt, "except I didn't wait three years to come back, and even then you came back to us by accident Max-"

I opened my mouth to say something but he cut me off.

"No, let me talk. I honestly felt bad about leaving, Max, just like you do now. I had honestly believed what I had done was the right thing and then to realize that it was probably one of the worst decisions of my life? I wasn't handling it well. Then I come back and with time, everything went back to normal. Except for you. You shut me out. The one person whose forgiveness I needed the most, shut me out. You pushed me away. You acted like I didn't even exist, Max, that cut the deepest. It was already hard enough to deal with my decision but not having my best friend to support me was harder.

"And then you left. Just like that. I know that fight was bad. I really regret the things I said. But I never thought you would leave. And for three years at that. Max, by the time you left, I was so tired of all the bad air between us, I just wanted it all to end. I missed you. I missed you so much. So I searched and I searched, I took care of the Flock while I looked, because they were just as lost as I was after you left.

"I thought you would've known better, Nudge said that the Flock was like that after I left, why'd you leave? The Flock needed you, I needed you," Fang ranted.

I tried my best not to cry, but the tears were threatening to spill over. "You know why I ran, Fang? I was scared! I was hurt! I felt betrayed and used! I wasn't sure what I wanted or what I felt anymore! You left and I felt like everything I had known was a lie. I was unsure and unstable. Then you come back and I'm not sure what to do? Do I take you back and welcome you with open arms? Or do I run because I don't know if you're going to leave again? So you know what I did? I did what I do best. I ran! And I'm sorry that it was for so long, but eventually, I reached that point where I didn't think about it because thinking about it was too painful!"

We were both silent for the next few minutes, letting everything that had been said sink in. It wasn't a proper explanation but for the time being, it was enough.

"What about Vy?" Fang said finally, shattering the silence and bringing up the dreaded topic.

I turned my head, tearing my gaze away from his. "What about her?"

"What _happened_?"

I scowled. "You tell me."

Fang groaned. "Stop stone-walling me, Max."

I glared. "Well I honestly want to know," I snapped back.

"So do I!"

I sighed; he started out last time, it was my turn, and, "I made her up a long time ago. When I first came to Arizona. She was my cover for school because my name was splattered across the front of every newspaper when I took down iTex. She was my alibi. She was safe; no one would know that it was me."

Fang raised an eyebrow. "And? When the Flock came around?"

I continued. "She suddenly wasn't so safe anymore," I admitted. "I knew I should have told you guys sooner but that fear kept me back. I let things get out of control. The whole time you- when we were- you know, struggling. I kept telling myself to pull away because it would make everything too complicated. But I couldn't help it, I missed you so much, I had come to terms with everything that had happened by the time you guys came and the only thing that held me back was fear. Then you were here, and I didn't handle it well," I let out softly.

Fang put a hand on my shoulder. "Neither did I. You know, I felt drawn to Vy. Like she was important. Like she had the answers to everything, like she could help. That she would help find the resolution. Max, she was _not_ the resolution, she never was. I just wanted to find you."

"But you kissed Vy!" I blurted out.

Fang scowled. "Yeah well, I was drawn to her and she made me feel alright again. But you know why she did? Because she was you! You were her! Everything about her was you, and that's why I fell for her. Because she screamed 'Max'. You are the only person I'll ever love."

And there goes the little fan girl in me, screaming and melting into a little puddle of goo. Whoops. Mind the mess.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yeah, why do you think I never stopped looking for you?" he said softly.

"I-I don't know what to say," I stuttered, which was unusual for me but Fang seems to have a talent at a making me speechless.

"A nice 'I love you, too Fang. Never leave me again' would be appreciated," he joked, relieving some of the tension.

I rolled my eyes. "Shut up."

Fang smirked. "Make me."

And I did.

By shoving him off of the bed.

"Oi! Don't kill me, who else would crack such unbelievably funny jokes?" he said, sitting himself up and getting back onto the bed.

"If that's what helps you sleep at night, Fangy-boy," I said, our usual banter flowing out easily. We looked at each other with the same spark in our eyes and before we knew it, we were both laughing. Clutching our sides as our laughter just grew and grew; we rolled over until I was using Fang for support, his arm around my waist. Our laughter died down, and I rested my head on his shoulder as he leaned back against the headboard.

"So where does this leave us?" he asked calmly.

I thought for a minute, there were still some things left that needed to be said but maybe they could wait a little longer, right now all I wanted was to enjoy this moment with Fang. I didn't trust myself to not muck it up somehow so I reluctantly let Fang have control of the situation.

"Wherever you want us to be." I replied, looking up at him.

"You still love me, right?" Fang asked quietly.

I smiled at him. "Of course, did you really need to ask?" I told him.

He pecked my cheek. "Just making sure. How about we just let it play out for now? Go where the wind takes us?" he replied cheekily.

I rolled my eyes. "Really? An avian-hybrid joke?"

He smiled. "I couldn't resist."

I shook my head and let myself relax in his embrace, resting my head on his chest and wrapping my arms around his torso. For now, everything was fine and everything else could wait a while long.

After all, they've waited close to three years.

Two years, seven months and three days to be exact.

* * *

><p><strong>What? I did not just do that! <strong>

_**Sorry I just did**_**. Ooh **_**snap**_**.**

**Ha. See what I did there. I'm so funny.  
>I'm sorry. I'll leave now. Nevertheless, I'll stay anyway. So one more chapter left! Eep! I can't believe it! But we shall keep the sad author's speech until the end of the next chapter, yes?<strong>

**And thanks a million to my lovely temporary beta, Fluffy Bunnies Are So Cute, who did **_**not**_** run screaming when I popped up out of the ground like a daisy and asked her to beta my story. Thanksh!**

(Fluffy: Aha, I've had more random requests (: Let's get Sorry I Just Did to over threehundred reviews? Okay? READY SET GO!)

**But honestly, did you like the ending? Did it live up to your standards? Are you satisfied? Please tell me in a review?  
>(C'mon guys, we're so close to 300- which is mind-blogging, by the way, <strong>_**300**_** reviews? OH MY GOD. I NEVER THOUGHT I WOULD GET THIS MANY REVIEWS. I'M ABOUT TO CRY YOU GUYS.- Well. I will cry when we get there!)**


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